Female cadres of the banned CPI (Maoist) outfit in Odisha’s Gandhamardan Reserve Forest region are being subjected to protracted physical, psychological, and sexual harassment by Naxal leaders, police said on Friday.

A senior police official, quoting two Maoists who laid down their arms to return to the mainstream, said the Chhattisgarh Naxal cadres, particularly the women cadres, are being subjected to continuous physical, psychological, and sexual harassment in the outfit.

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This sort of exploitation of Naxal cadres active at the ground level and waging armed attacks on security forces is one of the principal causes for the disintegration of the banned outfits, the official said.

Meanwhile, two hardcore cadres of a banned CPI (Maoist) outfit, active in Odisha’s Gandhamardan Reserve forest area for over a decade, surrendered before the Bargarh district police on Friday.

Puja Tati and Saitu Padam, who were carrying cash rewards of 4 lakh and Rs 3 lakh, respectively on their heads, surrendered to return to the mainstream. They were actively involved in expanding left-wing extremism in Bargarh and Bolangir districts, police said.

Both of them were involved in the killing of civilians on suspicion of police informers and launching armed attacks on police and security forces.

Police quoting the version of the surrendered Naxals said, “They realized that the outfit has lost its ideological commitment and instead of working for the poor and toiling class of the society. They found that the outfit is indulging in meaningless lawless activities like extortion, attack on innocent civilians and security force personnel, etc”.

They also revealed that the Chhattisgarh cadres, particularly the women cadres are being subjected to continuous physical, psychological, and sexual harassment in the outfit. Developmental activities undertaken by the government prompted them to shun the path of violence.

They will be rehabilitated under the policy of rehabilitating left-wing extremists. Both also receive government assistance in accordance with the rehabilitation policy applicable to Maoists who join the mainstream, the police statement concluded.