Bhubaneswar, Jun 2 (IANS): As many as 50 Maoist supporters of Malkangiri district surrendered before Odisha police in presence of DGP Sunil Bansal on Thursday.

The Maoist sympathisers including two women surrendered before the DGP during his visit to Jantri police camp in Swabhiman Anchal (earlier known as cut-off area) in the Maoist-hit Malkangiri district.

"Maoist supporters and some people who have been involved in a few police attack cases have surrendered today. Welcoming all to the mainstream of society, I told them nothing can be achieved from violence. They also took a pledge not to support or perpetrate violence," the DGP said.

He appealed to the people who have accepted the Maoist ideology to surrender and join the mainstream. All should come and partake in the development, he added.

The Maoist sympathisers have submitted a joint written letter to the DGP before surrendering. In the letter, they requested the DGP to close all cases pending against them in different police stations of Malkangiri district.

Later, Bansal reviewed the anti-Maoist operations taken up in the districts with BSF and inaugurated a new building of Mathili police station.