Two Maoist rebels surrender in Orissa

KEONJHAR - Two Maoists rebels have surrendered to police in Orissa’s Keonjhar District.

The two rebels surrendered as they had become disenchanted with the working of the rebel group.

Sabita Munda, a surrendered woman rebel said, “We were being tortured by higher cadres. I didn’t like this so I left the Maoist organisation.”

“They had lured us to join their organisation. They tortured us, so we decided to leave them and fled away from the organisation secretly,” added Munda.

The state police have claimed that their department is making proper arrangements to rehabilitate the surrendered rebels.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Keonjhar, Ashish Kumar Singh said, “They realised that the movement will not solve the matter at gun point. They felt that peace is important so they surrendered. We accept them and we will rehabilitate them as per government policy.”

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram had on Tuesday (February 9) asserted that the Government would reclaim the areas presently dominated by Maoists and asked them to abjure violence, saying it is the only option for initiating dialogues with the Government.

At a meeting called by the Centre in Kolkata to help the four Naxal-affected states of West Bengal, Orissa, Bihar and Jharkhand to co-ordinate their campaign against the rebels, Chidambaram said that the Maoists must halt violence. (ANI)