Argus News - Trending: 10 Hardcore Maoists Surrender In Odisha’s Kandhamal

Phulbani, Mar 11:  As many as 10 hardcore Maoists formally surrendered before the Odisha Police at a special function held at the Reserve Police Lines here in Odisha’s Kandhamal district on Wednesday, a senior Police Officer said.

According to the police sources, 10 hardcore cadres of the CPI (Maoist) operating under the KKBN (Kalahandi-Kandhamal-Boudh-Nayagarh) Division in Kandhamal district, voluntarily laid down their arms and handed over their weapons to Sanjeeb Panda, IPS, ADG (Anti-Naxal Operations), symbolising their decision to renounce violence and rejoin the mainstream.

Among those who surrendered was Sanu Pottam alias Nitu, a State Committee Member carrying a bounty of Rs55 lakh. A native of Bijapur district in Chhattisgarh, Nitu joined the Maoist organisation in 2004 and had been active in Odisha since 2022. His surrender, police officials said, reflects the steadily weakening influence of Left-wing extremism in the region.

The surrendered group included one State Committee Member, one Divisional Committee Member, two Area Committee Members, and six party members. Collectively, they carried rewards exceeding Rs1.15 crore. Under the state’s Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy, they will receive compensation of over Rs1.55 crore, including Rs40 lakh in additional cash assistance and nearly Rs10 lakh for the weapons surrendered.

The Maoists laid down 10 firearms, including two INSAS rifles, two SLRs, three .303 rifles, two single-shot guns, one 12-bore gun, and a large cache of ammunition. ADG Panda assured that the surrendered cadres would be extended financial aid and vocational training to reintegrate into society with dignity. He also lauded the role of the CRPF’s 80th Battalion in facilitating the surrender.

Police sources said that the killing of Central Committee Member Ganesh Uike in Kandhamal in December 2025, coupled with sustained operations by the Special Operation Group (SOG), District Voluntary Force (DVF), CRPF, and BSF, had demoralised Maoist ranks.

With this latest surrender, the number of armed cadres operating in Odisha has dwindled to around 25, their activities now confined to border areas of Kandhamal, Kalahandi, and Rayagada districts. Officials described the development as a major blow to the Maoist movement in the state.