Bhubaneswar: In a significant boost to anti-Maoist operations in Odisha, 15 hardcore Maoists, including two State Committee Members carrying a reward of ₹55 lakh each, formally surrendered before Additional Director General of Police (Anti-Naxal Operations) Sanjeeb Panda, IPS, at a special function held at the District Police Office (DPO) in Rayagada.
During the programme, the surrendered Maoists laid down their arms and handed over their weapons to Panda, symbolising their decision to renounce violence and rejoin the mainstream of society.
Addressing the gathering, ADG Sanjeeb Panda said the surrender of 15 Maoists reflects the steadily declining influence of left-wing extremist ideology in the region and the growing faith of misguided youth in the Government’s development-oriented and people-centric approach. He noted that sustained and coordinated operations by the Special Operations Group (SOG), District Voluntary Force (DVF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Border Security Force (BSF) have significantly eroded the Maoist base in the region.
He assured that all surrendered Maoists would be extended benefits under the State Government’s Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy, including financial assistance, vocational training and skill development, to help them reintegrate into society with dignity.
The surrendered group included Nikhil and Indu, both State Committee Members, each carrying a reward of ₹55 lakh. The 15-member group comprised two State Committee Members, one Divisional Committee Member, five Area Committee Members and seven party members, collectively carrying rewards worth ₹1.98 crore.
They surrendered 14 firearms, including two AK-47 rifles, five Self-Loading Rifles (SLRs), one INSAS rifle, one sten gun, one .303 rifle and four single-shot weapons, along with a large quantity of ammunition. The total reward linked to the surrendered arms is estimated at ₹16 lakh.
Officials said the group belonged to the BGN division (Banshadhara, Ghuman and Nagabali) and had been operating across Rayagada, Kandhamal, Gajapati and Kalahandi districts. Nikhil, who joined the Maoist organisation in 2004 and became active in the BGN division from 2008, had emerged as the highest-ranking Maoist leader in Odisha following the killing of Central Committee Member Ganesh Uike in Kandhamal in December 2025.
The surrender event was attended by IG CRPF Amitendra Nath Sinha, IG Operations Dr Deepak Kumar, DIG SIW Akhileshvar Singh, DIG Koraput Vishal Singh, Rayagada Collector Ashutosh Kulkarni, SP Rayagada Swathi, SP Kandhamal Harish BC, SP Kalahandi Nagaraj and other senior officials.
Officials also informed that districts such as Nuapada, Nabarangpur, Malkangiri, Koraput and Boudh have now been declared completely Maoist-free.
Appealing to remaining Maoist cadres to shun violence, ADG Panda urged them to surrender before the police, assuring all possible assistance and rehabilitation benefits as per the State Government’s surrender policy, reiterating the commitment towards achieving a #NaxalMuktaOdisha.
