Woman Maoist carrying Rs 1 lakh reward on head surrenders before Odisha Police

Malkangir: A woman Maoist involved in several criminal cases including IED blast in Odisha and carrying a cash reward of Rs 1 lakh on her head on Wednesday surrendered before the police here, an official said.

The Maoist identified as Ungi Madvi alias Rosni was an active member of the CPI (Maoist) and hailed from Sukma district of Chhattisgarh. She joined the banned CPI (Maoist) party in 2016 and presently operated as a party member of Mahupadar of Kanger Ghati of Darbha division of DKSZC ( Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee).

Ungi was carrying a cash reward of Rs 1 lakh on her head for her involvement in at least 48 cases in Odisha, said Malkangiri SP Nitesh Wadhwani.

"It is a good achievement as the woman Maoist was actively involved in a series of incidents in Odisha for the last eight years. Apart from Odisha, she was also active in neighbouring states," said Wadhwani.

On the reasons for the 20-year-old woman Maoist's surrender, the SP said was "recent appeals made by Odisha Chief Minister and DGP to active Maoists to leave the path of violence by surrendering and become part of the mainstream for peaceful development of these areas, encouraged her."

The SP claimed as many as 21 active Maoists and hundreds of active Maoist sympathisers have surrendered in Malkangiri district in a span of two years.

Wadhwani said very few Maoist cadres are remaining and they are also waiting for an opportunity to surrender.

"Ungi has also been aspiring for surrender for a long time after becoming disillusioned with the Maoist ideology. But she was not allowed to leave the party by senior leaders. She was forcefully made to perform crucial tasks," the SP said.

The surrendered Maoist said that she saw various developmental activities being undertaken by the state government and realised the futility of the violent path of Naxalism.

"Maoists themselves are standing in the path of development of the region through their subversive activities. For that purpose, they are making innocent tribals to fight amongst themselves and once their utility is over, they are being branded as police informers and being killed mercilessly," she said.

"We again appeal to active Maoist cadres and militias to join the mainstream of the society. She will be properly rehabilitated and will receive monetary assistance as per the surrender and rehabilitation scheme of the government of Odisha. She will also get financial assistance for building a house, pursuing studies and getting training in a vocation of her will," the SP said.