Odisha: Former Maoists watch Hockey World Cup match at Kalinga Stadium

BHUBANESWAR: There was a time when Ramesh Madkami took up arms to fight against the police in the forests of Malkangiri.
Times have changed now for the 35-year-old tribal as he has returned to the mainstream. Once an extremist, Madkami is now a guest for the police as Malkangiri SP Jagmohan Meena brought him and 29 other surrendered Maoists to Bhubaneswar to watch a Hockey World Cup match at the Kalinga Stadium.The surrendered red ultras belong to Koraput and Malkangiri districts.
“After spending seven years in Maoist movements, I realised that violence is not the right path to achieve something. There have been several developmental activities in our area now. We have better roads, schools and anganwadi centres in the remotest pocket. So, we decided to give up arms,” said Madkami.
Ramesh was an active member of the Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee of the Maoists from 2007 till 2013. Now he works as a home guard in the district police.
Asked if he knows about hockey, Madkami said though he doesn’t understand the game, he knows that Odisha is hosting the World Cup.
Away from their home, it was completely a different experience for these former rebels, who watched the quarterfinal encounter between India and the Netherlands in a capacity crowd. Having painted their faces in the tricolour, the tribal youths were seen cheering for the Team India. They also visited the Odisha Police stall in the fan village.
Bagi Mileka, a resident of Narayanpatna block in Koraput district, joined the LWE movement when he was only 18 years old in 2008.
“I surrendered within three years of joining the movement. I am very happy that now I lead a normal life with my wife and a kid. The Koraput police engaged me as a home guard after I surrendered. I got financial assistance as per the policy of the state government,” said Mileka.
Madkami and Mileka apart, many others had chosen the path of violence without even knowing the objective. “I spent 10 years of my life in the movement. I didn’t even know the purpose. I am very happy to visit Bhubaneswar,” said Anita Madhi, a resident of Chitrakonda area in Malkangiri said.
The Malkangiri SP said the initiative is an eye-opener exposure visit for the surrendered Maoists as many of them had never even seen Bhubaneswar before. “Our aim is holistic development of the surrendered Maoists. The visit will help to some extent in achieving our target,” said Meena.
The tribal youths will also visit other places around Puri and Konark on Friday as part of their two-day visit.