14-yr-old former Maoist admitted to school

A 14-year-old former Maoist has enrolled as a student in a primary school of Kandhamal district after her parents were persuaded to send her to school.
The girl hailing from Gumadi village took admission in Class V of a government-run residential school near Daringbadi yesterday, official sources said.
"To make the girl self-reliant, we plan to provide vocational training to her after Class VII", Daringbadi Block Development Officer Sailendra Kumar Jena said.
Sources said the girl had joined the outfit in 2008 and became an active member of the Sabyasachi Panda-led Bansadhara division of CPI (Maoist). She surrendered before Gajapati Superintendent of Police on December 28, 2011.

"I got to know that the girl was a minor when she came to me for settlement of her claims as per the state government's surrender policy, in October. I asked her to continue her education, but her parents were reluctant to send her to school," Jena said.
The BDO directed the revenue inspector to convince her parents.
"After much persuasion, they agreed to allow her to study in a residential school near Daringbadi," revenue inspector Arun Kumar Parichha said.
"I am happy that my daughter is back in school", said her father.