Dreaded Maoists surrender due to multipronged initiatives by police: Maoists’ pro-people image denigrating
Badal Tah,Odishabarta
Rayagada, March 26:Two hardcore ultras named Sri Manku Oyam@Jayaram@Pankesh@Sainu, s/o-Sunaku Oyam and Lachu Madkam@Biswanath@Abinash, s/o-Dullam of Chhattisgarh State belonging to banned CPI(Maoist) party surrendered before district police. Manku, Area Commander of the banned outfit, is carrying Rs. four lakhs cash award on his head by Govt of Odisha while Lachu, a party member, carries a cash award of Rs. one lakh.
Manku joined in Sunabeda Area Committee of Mainpur-Nuapada Division in November-2011 as Party Member. After promoted in the rank of Area Commander, he was transferred to Kalahandi Local Organisation Squad(LOS) during May, 2018. Since then he was looking after LOS of Bansadhara-Ghumusar-Nagavali(BGN) division just before the surrender. He was involved in series of cases like Turka, Katalghati exchanges of fire & killing of Bhima Dora in Kalahandi district during 2019, Sunaspadar exchange of fire in Kalahandi dist during 2020 & beating of civilian at Kamkocha in Rayagada dist during 2021.
Lachu joined Rahul Area Committee in Kalahandi-Kandhamal-Boudh-Nayagarh(KKBN) division during April, 2015 as a Party Member. He had been working in different area committees & LOS under KKBN and BGN divisions since his joining the party. Later he was working in Kalahandi LOS of BGN division just before his surrender before police. He was also involved in series of unlawful activities such as Loberngarh, Kandhamal fire exchange on 24-7-2015, Mundamaska, Kalahandi exchange of fire on 30-3-2016, Maskaguda, Kandhamal exchange of fire on 2-12-2016, Camp busting at Gadimaska, Kandhamal & burning of construction machines & vehicles in Baluma, Kandhamal during 2018, Killing of Anil Majhi, Pidel, Kalahandi & burning of two polling vehicles and EVM machines during general election-2019 near Ribilada of Kandhamal district.
Though Manku joined in 2011, he became active in 2019; but Lachu became very active from the year he joined during 2015. Manku’s low key in the party for initial eight years could not be ascertained during a dialogue with him. Manku spoke in Hindi whereas Lachu spoke in Odia. Both the members were on their twenties. According to their versions, they did not join the party out of their understanding of the ideology of the party or their inner urge or commitment. The senior members of the party asked their family members to send them to work for party.
The prime reasons for leaving the banned party and surrendering are language problem, distance from native place, tough terrain in Odisha, insufficient food, safe water and cloth, frequent operations by security forces in their jurisdiction areas, rude and abnormal behaviour of the leadership, insufficient strength for continuous movement to cover a vast area under their jurisdiction, no recruitment and support from public in & around their operational area. And most importantly they got influenced by the surrender & rehabilitation policy of Odisha Govt, which is the best in the country. They have told several names of the party cadres who are active, left to fend for themselves and similarly tortured by the seniors.
The pro-people image of the Maoists has highly denigrated. There is a divide between the leadership and the members at the lower rung, who are visibly exploited. The committed police force like CRPF has sustained its series of civic action programmes. Programmes like Maitri by the state police have complemented the efforts of the para-military force. Encouraged by the ultra left activists, Ganja cultivation in Rayagada is rampant in interior villages of Rayagada. The excise deptt with help of police has been very successful in destroying vast cultivation in the Maoist infested villages. The district police has diligently nabbed the culprits illegally transporting tons of contraband. Hence, there is a multi-pronged attack on the activities of Maoists of the region. Police-Public interface has been friendly and philanthropic, according to Smt Mitu Roy, Second-in-Command at CRPF, 4th Battalion, Rayagada.
As per Sri Vivekananda Sharma, IPS, SP, Rayagada, both these persons will avail monetary and other assistance like building of the house, pursuing studies & receiving training in trade/vocation of their liking as per the policy of the state. Sharma has appealed the party members of the banned outfit CPI(Maoist) to surrender before police & avail all the benefits & schemes meant for them.
