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19 Maoists Surrender in Odisha, Major Blow to Insurgency in State

Nineteen Maoist cadres have surrendered in Odisha's Rayagada and Kandhamal districts, dealing a significant blow to the insurgent movement in the state. Among those surrendering were a couple with a combined reward of Rs 55 lakh on their heads, and police seized a cache of 14 modern weapons. Odisha's Director General of Police, Y.B. Khurania, stated that 2025 has been exceptionally successful, with the state's Maoist central committee leadership nearly wiped out. He attributed the success to developmental work in remote areas and the government's surrender and rehabilitation policy, appealing to remaining insurgents to lay down arms by March 31.

Key Points: 19 Maoists Surrender in Odisha, DGP Hails Success

  • 19 Maoists surrender in Rayagada & Kandhamal
  • Rs 55 lakh reward couple among those surrendering
  • 14 modern weapons including AK-47s seized
  • Odisha DGP says no Central Committee leadership left in state
  • Surrender policy & development work credited for success
3 min read

Odisha achieves major success in anti-Maoist drive as 19 cadres surrender

19 Maoist cadres surrender in Rayagada & Kandhamal, Odisha. DGP Y.B. Khurania says state's Maoist leadership is nearly wiped out.

"The leadership is almost wiped out, with only a few pockets left. - Y.B. Khurania"

Bhubaneswar, Feb 6

In a significant development for the state's anti-Maoist efforts, 19 Maoists have surrendered in Rayagada and Kandhamal districts of Odisha, signalling a positive step forward in achieving the long-standing goal of making the state free from the Maoist menace, Y.B. Khurania, the Odisha Director General of Police, said on Friday.

In a press conference held in Bhubaneswar, DGP Khurania added that 15 Maoists surrendered before the Rayagada police and four Maoists surrendered before the Kandhamal police.

He told the reporters that a total of 15 Maoist cadres of the Bansadhara-Ghumsar-Nagabali (BGN) division surrendered in Rayagada district.

Among them, two of the surrendered ultras were members of the State Committee -- Niranjan Raut alias Nikhil, who hails from Jagatsinghpur district, and his wife Rashmita Lenka alias Ankita Tangi of Cuttack district.

A reward of Rs 55 lakh had been announced in the name of the Maoist couple.

Additionally, 13 other cadres of the BGN division also surrendered.

From them, a total of 14 modern weapons were seized, including two AK-47s, five Self-Loading Rifle (SLR), one Sten gun, one INSAS rifle, one .303 rifle, and four single-shot guns.

Similarly, in Kandhamal, four Maoist cadres holding the position of party member of the Kalahandi-Kandhamal-Boudh-Nayagarh (KKBN) division surrendered, renouncing the path of violence.

During surrender, they handed over firearms, ammunition, and other materials to the police.

The Maoist party members, who surrendered, also laid down one SLR, one 12-bore gun, two .303 rifles, and a large quantity of ammunition.

Multiple cases were pending against them in various police stations of the state.

Speaking to media persons, the Odisha DGP said on Friday that the year 2025 has been an exceptionally successful one for the Odisha Police in counter-Maoist operations.

"Two Central Committee Maoist members have been neutralised. As of now, there is no Central Committee Maoist leadership presence in Odisha. The leadership is almost wiped out, with only a few pockets left," he added.

He also said that the significant developmental work being implemented in the Maoist-hit remote areas and the new surrender and rehabilitation policy by the Odisha government is encouraging Maoists to return to the mainstream.

He noted that only a handful of ultras are active in the jungles of Odisha, especially in Kandhamal district, and expressed the hope that they would also lay down their arms before the March 31 deadline.

He again appealed to the Maoists still active in the jungles to surrender by shunning violence and they will be provided all the amenities and assistance for financial assistance.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
While this is a positive step, I hope the rehabilitation is genuine and long-lasting. Simply surrendering weapons isn't enough. They need proper job training and social integration to truly leave that life behind. The government must follow through on its promises.
V
Vikram M
Rs 55 lakh reward on that couple! That's a huge amount. Glad they chose to surrender. The recovery of so many modern weapons like AK-47s is also a major win for our police forces. Salute to the bravery of our Odisha Police. Jai Hind!
P
Priya S
This is heartening. Many who join these groups are misguided youth from impoverished backgrounds. The focus on development in remote areas is key. When people see roads, schools, and hospitals being built, they lose faith in violent ideologies. Hope this continues.
R
Rohit P
"Leadership is almost wiped out" - powerful words from the DGP. This has been a long and difficult fight for the people of Odisha. Finally, the tide is turning. Let's hope the remaining few also heed the call for surrender by March 31. Peace is coming.
M
Michael C
Interesting to see the strategy shift from pure confrontation to encouraging surrender with rehabilitation. Seems more sustainable. The mention of "developmental work" is crucial—addressing the root causes of discontent is how you win in the long run.

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