Bhawanipatna (Kalahandi): In a major breakthrough in the fight against Left Wing Extremism, 11 hardcore Maoists surrendered before senior officials of Odisha Police at a special function held at the Reserve Police Lines in Bhawanipatna of Kalahandi district on Sunday.
The cadres laid down their arms before Odisha Director General of Police Yogesh Bahadur Khurania in the presence of senior police and paramilitary officers, including ADG (Anti-Naxal Operations) Sanjeeb Panda, IG CRPF Amitendra Nath Sinha, IG Operations Dr. Deepak Kumar, DIG SIW Akhileshvar Singh, DIG Koraput Vishal Singh, Kalahandi SP Nagaraj Devarakonda, Rayagada SP Swathy S. Kumar, and Kandhamal SP Harisha B.C., symbolising their decision to renounce violence and return to the mainstream.
Among those who surrendered was Nakul, a Divisional Committee Member of the Odisha State Committee of the Communist Party of India (Maoist), who carried a reward of Rs 22 lakh on his head. The group comprised one Divisional Committee Member, five Area Committee Members and five party members. Together, they carried a cumulative reward of Rs 63.25 lakh.
Addressing the gathering, Khurania said the surrender reflects the steadily weakening influence of Maoist ideology in the region. He attributed the development to sustained anti-Naxal operations by security forces, including the Special Operations Group (SOG), District Voluntary Force (DVF), CRPF and BSF.
He assured that all surrendered Maoists would receive benefits under the state government’s Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy, including financial assistance and vocational training to help them rebuild their lives with dignity.
Additional Director General of Police (Anti-Naxal Operations) Sanjeeb Panda said the surrender marked a significant step towards achieving the target set by Union home minister Amit Shah to eliminate Naxalism in the country by March 31, 2026.
According to police officials, the surrendered group had been operating under the BGN Division across Kalahandi, Rayagada and Kandhamal districts. Nakul is a native of Maharashtra, while the remaining ten cadres are from neighbouring Chhattisgarh.
Police said the cadres were demoralised following the killing of Maoist Central Committee member Ganesh Uike in Kandhamal in December 2025 and continuous security operations in the region, which prompted them to surrender.
The Maoists handed over 11 firearms to the police, including an AK-47 rifle, an INSAS rifle, four SLR rifles, four single-shot rifles and a 12-bore gun, along with a large quantity of ammunition and other materials. They will also receive compensation for the surrendered weapons.
Officials said the group would receive a total rehabilitation package of around Rs 1.23 crore, including incentives under the surrender policy and additional compensation for the weapons.
Police said the number of armed Maoist cadres operating in Odisha has now come down to around 15, with their activities largely confined to the border areas of Kandhamal district.
So far, districts such as Nuapada, Nabarangpur, Malkangiri, Koraput, Boudh and Bolangir have been declared completely Naxal-free.
Odisha Police reiterated its commitment to making the state free from Left Wing Extremism by March 31, 2026.
