In a significant victory for Odisha Police’s anti-Maoist operations, 19 Maoist cadres, including two state committee members with a combined bounty of Rs 55 lakh, surrendered today — 15 before Rayagada district police and 4 before Kandhamal district police. The surrenderees deposited a large cache of sophisticated weapons and ammunition.
Director General of Police Yogesh Bahadur Khurania briefed the media on the development, reiterating the state police’s firm resolve to completely eradicate Maoist activities in Odisha before March 31 this year.
Operations have been intensified in Maoist-affected districts, while the state government’s rehabilitation and surrender policy continues to encourage cadres to abandon violence and join the mainstream.
Hailing these as a feat, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on X:
ନକ୍ସଲମୁକ୍ତ ଭାରତ ଗଠନ ଅଭିଯାନରେ ଆଜି ଓଡ଼ିଶା ଏକ ଉଲ୍ଲେଖନୀୟ ସଫଳତା ହାସଲ କରିଛି।
ରାଜ୍ୟର ବିକାଶ ଏବଂ ଜନସାଧାରଣଙ୍କ ସୁରକ୍ଷା ଆମ ସରକାରଙ୍କ ସର୍ବୋଚ୍ଚ ପ୍ରାଥମିକତା। ଆମ ସଂକଳ୍ପବଦ୍ଧ ଅଭିଯାନର ପରିଣାମ ସ୍ୱରୂପ, ଆଜି ରାୟଗଡ଼ ଜିଲ୍ଲାର BGN ଓ କନ୍ଧମାଳ ଜିଲ୍ଲାର KKBN ଡିଭିଜନର ମୋଟ ୧୯ ଜଣ ମାଓ କ୍ୟାଡର ହିଂସାର ପଥ ପରିତ୍ୟାଗ କରି…— Mohan Charan Majhi (@MohanMOdisha) February 6, 2026
Rayagada District
Fifteen cadres belonging to the Bansadhara-Ghumsar-Nagavali (BGN) Division surrendered before Rayagada police. Among them were two state committee members:
- Nikhil @ Niranjan Raut (from Jagatsinghpur)
- Ankita @ Rashmita Lenka (from Tangi, Cuttack)
A reward of Rs 55 lakh had been announced for information leading to their arrest. The remaining 13 cadres also laid down arms.
Police recovered 14 firearms from the group:
- 2 AK-47 rifles
- 5 Self-Loading Rifles (SLR)
- 1 Sten gun
- 1 INSAS rifle
- 1 .303 rifle
- 4 single-shot guns
Nikhil @ Niranjan Raut had been active in the Rayagada-Gajapati-Kandhamal region for over two decades.
Kandhamal District
Four cadres from the Kalahandi-Kandhamal-Boudh-Nayagarh (KKBN) Division, all holding the rank of Party Member (PM), surrendered before Kandhamal police. They are:
- Ganga Kunjami @ Jiten
- Muchaki Mase @ Sumitra
- Chomali Kunjam @ Shantilata
- Bandi Madvi @ Malati
They deposited:
- 1 SLR
- 1 12-bore gun
- 2 .303 rifles
- Large quantity of ammunition
Multiple criminal cases were pending against them in various police stations across the state.
DGP Khurania highlighted that sustained operations in recent days have severely curtailed Maoist activities, leading to arrests, surrenders, and recovery of large quantities of arms, ammunition and explosives. He renewed his appeal to remaining Maoists to give up violence and avail the benefits of the government’s surrender and rehabilitation policy, which offers financial assistance, security and a dignified future.
The Odisha Police, he said, will continue its campaign until the state is completely free of Maoist presence.
