Two Maoists surrender in Koraput

The rebels, who surrendered yesterday, were identified as Rout Wadeda and Braja Sirika of Podapadar village in Narayanpatna police limits in the district.

"We had joined Naxal movement to work for the downtrodden and the tribals but now we realise that the Red rebels have deviated from the ideology and are involved in torturing and murdering people," the duo said while surrendering before the police.

"Maoists are mostly involved in extortion of money and have done nothing for the uplift of tribals. Rather, the rebels have made life of the tribals miserable. Hence, we decided to surrender and to return to the mainstream of society," they said.

The police said the duo joined Maoist organisaiton two years ago and worked as the bodyguards of Naxal-backed Chasi Muliya Adivasi Sangh's president Nachika Linga for a brief period.

"They have admitted to their involvement in two gun-battles which had taken place a few months back at Kanchpadu and Tamna forest between Maoists and the security personnel. They have also confessed to their involvement in torching a jeep at Mankidi village," Superintendent of Police Koraput Awinash Kumar said.

"They were working for Koraput-Srikakulam divisional committee of CPI(Maoist) and had not brought any arms at the time of surrender," he said.

Apart from the SP, DIG BSF Akhilesh Singh, DIG (south-west range) S Devdutt Singh and collector (Koraput) Sachin Jadav were present at the meeting organised for the surrendered rebels here.