Bhubaneswar, March 29: In a significant development, 77 Maoists have surrendered in Odisha over the past year, according to the state’s Director General of Police (DGP) Y.B. Khurania. This announcement was made during a special event held in Fulbani, where security personnel involved in anti-Naxal operations were honored.
Khurania reported that 27 insurgents have been neutralized in various operations. He urged the remaining Maoist cadres to lay down their arms and embrace peace.
The DGP highlighted that a target was set to eliminate Maoist influence in the country by March 31, 2026, prompting intensified operations. Major successes have been achieved against Maoism in 2025 and 2026, thanks to the collaboration of central armed police forces like the Border Security Force (BSF) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), along with Odisha Police’s Special Operation Group (SOG), Special Intelligence Wing (SIW), and District Voluntary Force (DVF).
Of the 77 Maoists who surrendered, 23 did so in Chhattisgarh. The operations have been crucial, with 27 Maoists killed in various encounters, including 17 during a joint operation near the Nuapada-Gariaband border on January 25, 2025, which involved a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Maoist).
Current assessments indicate that the number of active Maoists in the state has dwindled to single digits. However, some cadres remain active in the forests of Kandhamal, Rayagada, and Kalahandi, prompting ongoing combing operations by security forces.
Khurania appealed to the remaining Maoists to take advantage of the state government’s new rehabilitation and surrender policy. He warned that those who do not comply will face action from security forces.
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