In a fresh blow to the Maoists in Odisha, around 270 Naxal "sympathisers" today took a pledge before the police not to render any help to the ultras in Malkangiri district.
The "sympathisers" belonged to several villages under Mathili Police Station jurisdiction here, Malkangiri Superintendent of Police Mitrbhanu Mohapatra said.
They would be rehabilitated as per the surrender and rehabilitation policy of the state government, he said.
The villagers were highly disillusioned by the activities of the outlawed CPI (Maoist), Mohapatra said.
With today's "surrender", over 500 Maoist sympathizers have pledged not to help the CPI (Maoist) in the district so far this month.
On March 14, as many as 117 Maoist "sympathisers", including 34 women and 14 militia members, had surrendered before the police in the district.
Similarly, 57 more, including 25 women, from Kalimela area had surrendered before the police in the Naxal-hit district on March 13, the police said.
Earlier, 19 Maoist sympathisers of Darava Division had "surrendered" to the police on March 11.
