Bhubaneswar, Oct. 4: Twelve Maoists, including five women, laid down arms before police in Malkangiri today as the security forces intensified operations against them in the district.

Sources said most of the surrendered rebels belonged to Poplur Dalam and Kalimela Dalam of the CPI (Maoist). Among the rebels, there was a couple who worked for various dalams. Muka Madkami of Kanaguda village worked for the Kalimela Dalam as an assistant commander, while his wife Gauri Matam (Sabita) had the same position in the Poplur Dalam.

Four other women Maoists, who gave up arms today, were Irne Madhi of Kosulkunda village and Subarna Khara (Jayanti), Purnima Khara (Nirmala) and Mukti Khila of Kuntipadar village. The other surrendered rebels were identified as Uddhab Kantari, Buddu Khara, Kosa Madkami, Buddu Hantal and Samara Bogdait.

A senior police official said these rebels were involved in a number of cases including murder, landmine explosions, encounters, extortion, burning of government and private vehicles and torching of a panchayat office.

However, most of the surrendered rebels said they wanted to return to the mainstream as they were harassed and exploited by their seniors in the camps.

They also accused the rebel leadership of deviating from the movement’s core principles. The women claimed they were being sexually exploited by senior Maoist leaders in the forest camps. Similar allegations have been made in the past by other women who were once part of the extreme Left movement, but broke away from it after being thoroughly disillusioned.

Significantly, more than 50 Maoists have surrendered to the police in Malkangiri and the adjoining Koraput district in the last four months.

Sources said the spurt of surrenders followed stepped up drive by the security forces against the rebels who appear to be on the backfoot for the first time. “We expect more of them to give up arms. Our operations will get further intensified in the coming days,” said a senior police officer.