Villagers retaliate against Maoists for disrupting development work in Odisha's Malkangiri

In retaliation to Maoists disrupting the development work in the region, villagers of the cut-off areas in Malkangiri district on Sunday clashed with the armed group, following which two wanted Maoist cadres were found injured by the security forces.

The two were found after the security forces, who received information about the presence of Maoists in the region, conducted cordon and search operations to track them down.

According to officials, one of the Maoists was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

The villagers of the cut-off areas, particularly of Jodamba, Badapada, Papermelta, who used to support the Maoists out of fear, have started standing up to the militants after realising the importance of being part of the mainstream.

This change comes after a series of initiatives for road connectivity and other developmental activities were undertaken by the government.

Armed Maoist cadres and sympathisers had come to Janturai village of Jadamba in the cut off areas of Malkangiri in the intervening night of January 25-26 and allegedly attacked the villagers for supporting the developmental work in the area.

The villagers had retaliated to the attack by Maoists, following which they were grievously injured and later found by the security forces.

The two "hard-core Maoists" have been identified as Jipro Hatrika and Ganga Madhi, ACM and members of the Guma Area Committee respectively.

They had been involved in a series of incidents and had a reward of Rs 4 lakh and Rs 1 lakh on their heads respectively, officials said.

Officials said that the people of the cut off areas, who were deprived of benefits of developmental projects of government, are now realising that the Maoists are the "real stumbling blocks" for their growth.

Two Maoists were on Sunday allegedly stoned to death by some locals at Janturai village under Chitrakonda police limits in Malkangiri district after they told the villagers not to celebrate the Republic Day and opposed the development work in the area.

Last week, suspected Naxals had also torched some vehicles used in road construction and later thrashed the workers at Niyamgiri area of Rayagada district here.