Odisha Maoist Couple Surrendered to Police, Said They Were Fed up with the Killing of Poor

Bhubaneswar: A Maoist couple, with more than 150 cases against them and a reward of Rs. 9 lakh of their heads, surrendered to the Odisha police. The couple, Sukhdev and his wife Rukmini, on Thursday submitted themselves to the Malkangiri district police, saying that they have realized that Naxals are harassing and killing poor ruthlessly and without any solid ground.

“They were fed up with Maoist activities after realizing that tribal and poor people were being harassed and exploited by the Naxals who, they said, have deviated from their ideology,” said a police officer from Malkangiri police station.

According to the Malkangiri Superintendent of Police Mitrabhanu Mohapatra, 150 cases of murder, kidnapping, abduction and attack on police were lodged against the couple at different police stations in Odisha. Sukhdev was in the Naxalite mission for more than 15 years while Rukmini was for 12 years. Sukhdev and Rukmini, both active members of the Maoist group, were carrying the reward of Rs. 5 lakh and Rs. 4 lakh for their heads respectively.

Reports are that the couple used to function as commanders of the Maoist sect in the state. The duo will be sent to a rehabilitation camp first, as the police of Odisha Government depicts.