Maoist couple surrenders before police in Odisha

Barely three days after Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik urged the rebels in the state to join mainstream, a Maoist couple today laid down their arms before police in Malkangiri district, official sources said.

The couple's surrender comes at a time when Maoist outfits in the country are observing Martyrs' Week.

The two rebels, who surrendered before Malkangiri district SP Jagmohan Meena, were identified as Mukesh, an area committee member of the outlawed CPI(Maoist)'s local squad Kalimela Dalam, and Ratna, another armed cadre, a police officer said.

Both Mukesh and Ratna were working at a military platoon and carried a cash reward of Rs 4 lakh and Rs 1 lakh respectively, he said.

They were allegedly involved in nearly 40 cases of Maoist violence, the officer added.

District SP Meena said the couple will be rehabilitated as per the provisions of the state government's surrender policy for the Maoists.

Meanwhile, sources said that a group of Maoist cadres yesterday organised a camp on Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border to register their protest against the recently inaugurated Gurupriya Bridge, which connects the cut-off areas of the district with the mainland.