Bhubaneswar: In a major boost to Odisha’s anti-Maoist campaign, a total of 19 Maoist cadres surrendered before the police in Rayagada and Kandhamal districts on Friday, signalling growing success of sustained security operations and the state’s rehabilitation policy.
Addressing a press conference, Director General of Police Yogesh Bahadur Khurania said Odisha Police remains firmly committed to completely eradicating Maoist activities from the state before March 31. He said anti-Maoist operations have been further intensified and made more effective across Maoist-affected districts, while parallel efforts are being made to encourage extremists to abandon violence and join the mainstream of society.
The DGP highlighted the state government’s surrender, rehabilitation and reintegration policy, under which Maoists who give up arms are provided security cover, government assistance and opportunities to rebuild their lives with dignity. He appealed to remaining cadres to shun violence and take advantage of the policy.
Of the 19 Maoists who surrendered on Friday, 15 laid down arms before the Rayagada district police. They belonged to the Bansadhara–Ghumsar–Nagavali (BGN) Division and included two State Committee Members, Nikhil alias Niranjan Raut of Jagatsinghpur and Ankita alias Rashmita Lenka of Tangi in Cuttack district. Both were carrying rewards of ₹55 lakh each. Police recovered 14 firearms from the surrendered cadres, including two AK-47 rifles, five SLRs, one Sten gun, one INSAS rifle, one .303 rifle and four single-shot guns. According to police, Nikhil had been active in the Rayagada–Gajapati–Kandhamal region for over two decades and played a key role in Maoist activities in southern Odisha.
In Kandhamal district, four Maoist cadres at the Party Member level from the Kalahandi–Kandhamal–Boudh–Nayagarh (KKBN) Division surrendered before the district police. The surrendered cadres were identified as Ganga Kunjami alias Jiten, Muchaki Mase alias Sumitra, Chomali Kunjam alias Shantila and Bandi Madvi alias Malati. At the time of surrender, they handed over one SLR, one 12-bore gun, two .303 rifles and a large quantity of ammunition. Police said several criminal cases were pending against them in different police stations across the state.
DGP Khurania said that recent coordinated operations in various districts have led to arrests and surrenders of senior Maoist cadres and the recovery of large quantities of arms, ammunition and explosive materials, significantly weakening Maoist networks. He added that the Odisha Police’s campaign to build a Maoist-free Odisha would continue with full force in the coming days.
