Visakhapatnam: The surrendered Maoists in Vizag Agency and along Andhra Odisha Border (AOB) are a worried lot over their safety after the recent encounter in Malkangiri’s forest in Odisha, where 30 ultras were gunned down.
The red rebels are suspecting that the security forces conducted the neat strike on the Maoists camp based on the vital clues from the few surrendered Maoists along AOB. The Maoists are also threatening some surrendered ultras to rejoin the group to fill the vacant slots in the platoons and area committees.
The encounter in Malkangiri forest area was the biggest blow to the Maoists by the police in one single operation so far in this region as some Maoist top guns among 30 were killed.
Though the cops have claimed that based on specific intelligence input, the security forces conducted the operation, the ultras are of the opinion that it was information from either surrendered or arrested rebels.
Police and Intelligence sources said that Maoists are worrying a lot over the depletion of cadre strength and area also suffering leadership crisis. The recent encounter and surrender of over 150 Maoists, including Militia members in Vizag region was a major blow to the outfit.
The ultras strongly believe that surrendered Maoists in the AOB have shared the route map of the AOB terrain in Malkangiri region and a few other key points with the cops and they may harm some surrendered rebels.
A senior police officers, on condition of anonymity, said that the ultras have been asking some surrendered rebels, who were known for their military ambush strategies against the security personnel, to regroup with the outfit.
So far, there were no reports of rejoining of surrendered rebels in the region, he added.
Superintendent of police (Visakha Rural) Rahul Dev Sharma said that some Maoists and militia members had surrendered before cops as they were fed up with the ideology and leadership.
The police would protect the lives of not only surrendered Maoists but also the local politicians who are facing a threat to their life from the Maoists, he added.
