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Odisha Declares Bolangir & Bargarh Naxal-Free in Major Security Milestone

Odisha's Director General of Police has officially declared Bolangir and Bargarh districts free from Naxal activities, marking a historic security achievement. The success is attributed to prolonged joint operations, precise intelligence, and cooperation from local residents. This announcement follows recent incidents, including an encounter in Kandhamal and the surrender of four Maoist cadres in Berhampur. Police officials also noted that Boudh district is now completely Maoist-free and expressed confidence that Kandhamal will soon follow.

Key Points: Odisha DGP Declares Bolangir, Bargarh Naxal-Free Districts

  • Bolangir & Bargarh declared Naxal-free
  • Sustained joint operations key to success
  • Recent Maoist surrender in Kandhamal
  • Boudh district also now Maoist-free
  • Focus shifts to other affected areas
2 min read

Bolangir and Bargarh declared Naxal-free districts: Odisha DGP

Odisha Police declares Bolangir and Bargarh districts Naxal-free after sustained operations. DGP credits security forces and public cooperation.

"Today, four members of the CPI (Maoist) KKBN division have surrendered before the Kandhamal Police. - Niti Shekhar"

New Delhi, March 2

Odisha Police has achieved a historic milestone in its sustained anti-Naxal operations across the State.

The Director General of Police, Yogesh Bahadur Khurania, has officially declared Bolangir district and Bargarh district as Naxal-free districts.

With this development, both Bargarh and Bolangir districts have now been declared free from Naxal activities.

The DGP informed that sustained joint operations conducted over a prolonged period, precise intelligence inputs, coordinated efforts of Central and State security forces, and active cooperation from local residents have led to the complete elimination of Naxal activities from these two districts.

He stated that this significant achievement has been made possible due to the courage, restraint, and unwavering commitment of the police force. The DGP congratulated all officers and personnel involved in the operations and expressed gratitude to the people for their trust and continued support.

He further stated that similar intensified operations will continue in other affected areas of the State to ensure the complete eradication of the Naxal problem at the earliest.

Last week, two Maoists were killed in an exchange of fire with the security personnel in the Kandhamal district of Odisha. Sanjeeb Panda, Additional Director General (ADG) of Police, Anti-Naxal Operations (ANO), stated that the encounter took place in the Karada forest area within the jurisdiction of Raikia police station in Kandhamal district.

Earlier this month, in a significant breakthrough for anti-insurgency operations, four active Maoist cadres, including three women, surrendered before Southern Range Inspector General (IG) Niti Shekhar at the Police Reserve Office in Berhampur.

During the press briefing by IG Niti Shekhar, he said, "Today, four members of the CPI (Maoist) KKBN division have surrendered before the Kandhamal Police. Out of these four, three are women, and one is a man. All of them originally hail from various districts in Chhattisgarh, including Sukma, Bijapur, and Dantewada. They have been involved in several violent encounters and criminal cases. However, due to the intensified anti-Maoist operations by the Odisha Police and the attractive surrender and rehabilitation policy of the State Government, they decided to join the mainstream. I am also pleased to announce that with these ongoing efforts, Boudh district has now become Maoist-free completely. We expect Kandhamal district to be Naxal-free very soon as well."

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priyanka N
A great achievement, no doubt. But we must ensure this is permanent. The government should immediately ramp up development projects, schools, and hospitals in these districts. Peace without prosperity is incomplete. The rehabilitation policy seems to be working well.
R
Rahul R
Kudos to the Odisha Police and CRPF! The coordinated effort is key. Seeing cadres from Chhattisgarh surrendering in Odisha shows how these operations have broken their network. Hope Kandhamal is declared free soon as well.
A
Anjali F
While this is positive, I hope the "unwavering commitment" of the police also means they operated with maximum restraint and respected human rights. Sometimes in these operations, innocent villagers get caught in the crossfire. The focus should always be on bringing people back, not just eliminating them.
V
Varun X
The local residents' cooperation is the most important part. They were the ones living in fear from both sides. Their trust had to be earned. This is a model that should be replicated in other states like Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. Development is the ultimate solution.
M
Michael C
Following this from abroad. It's impressive to see a state making such concrete progress against a long-standing insurgency. The combination of security pressure and a surrender policy that offers a way out seems very strategic. Well done.

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