Bhubaneswar, February 7: Odisha police has reported a significant success in its anti-Maoist operations. On Friday, the state police headquarters announced that a total of 19 Maoists surrendered to the police in the Rayagada and Kandhamal districts. This event comes just before the central government’s deadline of March 31 to completely eradicate Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) from the country, delivering a substantial blow to Maoist activities in Odisha.
During a press conference in Bhubaneswar, Director General of Police (DGP) Yogesh Bahadur Khurana revealed that 15 Maoist cadres from the Bansadhara-Ghumusar-Nagavali (BGN) division surrendered in Rayagada district. Among them were two state committee members, Nikhil alias Niranjan Raut from Jagatsinghpur and Ankita alias Rashmita Lenka from Tangi in Cuttack district.
This couple has been actively involved in Maoist activities for a long time, with a total reward of ₹5.5 million declared on them. Nikhil Raut has been active in the Rayagada-Gajapati-Kandhamal area for over two decades. With the surrender of these 15 cadres, the police seized 14 modern weapons, including 2 AK-47 rifles, 5 SLR rifles, 1 sten gun, 1 INSAS rifle, 1 .303 rifle, and 4 single-shot guns.
On the same day, four Maoist cadres from the Kalahandi-Kandhamal-Boudh-Nayagarh (KKBN) division surrendered in Kandhamal district. All were party-level members, primarily from Chhattisgarh’s Sukma, Bijapur, and Dantewada districts. The surrendering members included Ganga Kunjami alias Jiten, Muchaki Mase alias Sumitra, Chomali Kunjam alias Shantila, and Bandhi Madi alias Malti. They were found with one SLR, one 12-bore gun, two .303 rifles, and a large quantity of ammunition. Multiple criminal cases were pending against them at various police stations.
DGP Khurana stated that the state government’s surrender, rehabilitation, and resettlement policy has proven to be quite effective. Under this policy, those who surrender are offered security, financial assistance, education, employment, and opportunities for a dignified life. He urged remaining Maoists to abandon violence and join the mainstream.
In recent months, continuous operations by Odisha Police have weakened the Maoist network in several districts. The arrest of senior cadres, surrenders, and significant weapon seizures have dealt a severe blow to the insurgent movement. The police aim to make Odisha completely Maoist-free by March 31, with Kandhamal now being the last affected district. More such operations are expected to intensify in the coming days.
Speaking to the press, DGP Khurana said, “By 2025, we expect to see that large areas previously under Maoist control have been liberated, leading to rapid development in these regions. In areas where their presence still exists, a deadline of March 2026 has been set. Odisha Police is working hard to meet this deadline, and we are receiving a very positive response on the ground.”