Odisha: 15 hardcore Maoists with Rs 1.98 crore bounty surrender in Rayagada
A total of 15 hardcore Maoists including Nikhil and Indu have formally surrendered to Shri Sanjeeb Panda, IPS, ADG of Anti-Naxal Operations in Odisha's Rayagada.
Rayagada: In a significant boost to anti-Maoist efforts in Odisha, 15 hardcore Maoists including Nikhil and Indu have formally surrendered to Shri Sanjeeb Panda, IPS, ADG of Anti-Naxal Operations in Odisha’s Rayagada.
The maoists surrendered with their arms and handed over their weapons to the Odisha Police in a special event held at the District Police Office (DPO) in Rayagada.
The group includes 2 State Committee Members Nikhil and Indu, 1 Divisional Committee Member, 5 Area Committee Members, and 8 party members. According to sources, they had a combined reward of Rs 1.98 crores.
The surrendered Maoists also laid down 14 weapons, including 2 AK-47 rifles, 5 Self-Loading Rifles (SLR), 1 INSAS rifle, 1 Sten gun, 1 .303 rifle, 4 single-shot firearms, and a significant quantity of ammunition.
The 15-member group were stationed near the Niyamgiri area and operated from the BGN division (Banshadhara, Ghuman, Nagabali). They were active in Rayagada, Kandhamal, Gajapati, and Kalahandi districts.
ADG Sanjeeb Panda has stated that the surrender of these 15 Maoists reflects the steadily diminishing influence of left-wing extremist ideology in the region. He emphasised that sustained operations by the SOG, DVF, CRPF, and BSF have significantly weakened the Maoist base.
The ADG has assured that all surrendered Maoists would receive benefits under the State Government’s Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy, which includes financial assistance, vocational training, and skill development, to help them reintegrate into society with dignity.
