Woman maoist cadre surrenders in Odisha's Sundergarh district

A woman Maoist cadre from Jharkhand, carrying a reward of Rs one lakh on her head, on 31 October, surrendered before the police in Odisha's Sundergarh district.

Police said the woman cadre was Palo Honhanga (42) from Baliba village under Chotanagara police station in West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand.

She had joined the outlawed outfit, CPI (Maoist), only in 2012 and had become an armed cadre the next year. Palo did not have any case against her in Odisha, but had several registered in Jharkhand, the police said.

Her daughter had joined the organisation before her and had surrendered before Rourkela police in September 2015, they added.

"Her daughter's surrender convinced Palo that there was nothing to be achieved from an armed struggle," said Rourkela SP Anirudh Singh.

Given the "lucrative and safe" surrender policy of Odisha, many Maoists from nearby states surrender here, he said.

Palo said there was a "gulf of difference" between what the Maoist leaders had promised while luring her into the organisation and what she found in reality.

"The monetary benefit was much less than what was promised. Besides, the top leadership would exploit us in the name of the struggle," she said.

In the last two years, a number of Maoists cadres -- active or living in hiding after leaving the organisation -- have surrendered before the police here.

On 10 September, a pregnant Sunita Toppo and her husband Sushil Hansda, carrying a reward of Rs one lakh each, had surrendered.

--PTI