IED event in Odisha, Bargarh area, India on Fri 30th August 2024

A woman Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadre, identified as Amila alias Paro alias Puja Tati (35) from Bijapur District in Chhattisgarh, carrying a reward of INR 400,000, and another cadre, Raghu alias Saitu Padam (31) of Sukma District, Chhattisgarh, with an INR 300,000 bounty on his head, surrendered before Police in Bargarh District of Odisha on August 30, reports The Times of India. Amila held the position of ‘divisional committee member (DCM)’ and ‘chief’ of the Bargarh Dalam (armed squad) of the CPI-Maoist, while Raghu was an ‘area committee member (ACM)’ of the Bolangir Local Organising Squad (LOS). Amila had joined the outfit in 2008 as a party member in Bijapur District. She was allegedly involved in 35 different cases in Bargarh, including 15 cases of encounters, 10 arson, and four murders, besides six Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and poster activities. She was also involved in several cases in Bolangir District, the Police said. Raghu was recruited as a party member in 2009 in Sukma District. He was said to be involved in eight cases in Bargarh District, including four exchanges of fire, one murder, and three poster banner activities. He too was involved in other cases in Bolangir. Both of them were active in Gandhamardan Reserve Forest and had been trying to expand Left Wing Extremism (LWE) activities in Bargarh and Bolangir districts. After working in the CPI-Maoist for over a decade, both the cadres said they felt discrimination as a tribal, and differences of views with the outfit compelled them to surrender. Following their surrender, Police interrogated the two and seized 15 AK-47 live ammunition, two 9mm pistols and five 9 mm ammunition, one INSAS (Indian Small Arms System) assault rifle magazine, and five magazine pouches from their hideouts.