In yet another setback to Maoists, around 200 sympathisers of the banned CPI(Maoist) surrendered before Malkangiri SP Mitrbhanu Mohapatra here on Monday.
Frustrated over the Maoist activities, the rebel supporters, residents of lulei, Keranjaba, Dutibata and Kadabhatta villages under the Mathili police limits in the district, decided to shun violence and join mainstream, the SP said. They would be rehabilitated as per the Government norms, he added.
With these, over 550 rebel sympathisers have so far surrendered in the district this month. On March 13, 57 Maoist sympathisers, including 25 women, of Mathili area had surrendered before police while hundreds of such people had returned to mainstream the next day.
Similarly, 19 Maoist supporters, including five militia members, of Khatuapadar village under the Mathili police limits had given up arms on March 12. likewise, another 19 residents of Malkangiri working for the extremist outfit shunned violence on March 11 while 56 others, of which 17 were from Malkangiri district, had surrendered before the Chhatisgarh police on the same day.