Maoist from Chhattisgarh Surrenders in Odisha’s Balangir Dist

Balangir: A hardcore Maoist from Chhattisgarh, Somnath Achela, surrendered before police in the Balangir district of Odisha on Saturday.

Achela hails from Kanker area of Chhattisgarh. In the outlawed CPI (Maoist) organization, he was known as Mahesh. He was active as an Area Committee Member (ACM) of Balangir, Bargarh and Mahasamund (BBM) division of the banned CPI (Maoist) outfit.

Achela was active in the naxal activities for the past 14 years. He was involved in several incidents of Maoist violence in Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

According to police sources, following his surrender, he would be rehabilitated as per the government policy for the rehabilitation of Maoists giving up the path of violence to join the mainstream.