Rayagada, Feb 7: In a significant breakthrough for Odisha’s anti-Maoist operations, as many as 15 hardcore Maoists surrendered before Sanjeeb Panda, ADG (Anti-Naxal Operations), at a special function held at the District Police Office in Rayagada, police said.

Major breakthrough towards #NaxalMuktaOdisha 🇮🇳

15 hardcore Maoists surrendered before Shri Sanjeeb Panda, IPS, ADG (Anti-Naxal Ops), at Rayagada—renouncing violence and joining the democratic mainstream.

🔹 Cadres: 2 State Committee Members (SCMs) | 1 Divisional Committee… pic.twitter.com/TcU6dCQgmx

— Odisha Police (@odisha_police) February 7, 2026

The surrender marks a major setback for left-wing extremism in the state and reflects growing confidence in the government’s development-oriented approach.

The group included two State Committee Members, Nikhil and Indu, each carrying rewards of Rs 55 lakh, one Divisional Committee Member, five Area Committee Members, and eight party members. Together, they carried a cumulative reward of Rs 1.98 crore. The surrendered cadres also handed over 14 weapons, including two AK-47 rifles, five SLRs, one INSAS, one sten gun, one .303 rifle, four single-shot weapons, and a large cache of ammunition. The arms carried a reward value of Rs 16 lakh.

Nikhil, who joined the Maoist organisation in 2004 and became active in the Banshadhara-Ghuman-Nagabali (BGN) division from 2008, was regarded as one of the highest-ranking Maoists in Odisha after the killing of Central Committee Member Ganesh Uike in Kandhamal in December 2025. The group had been operating across Rayagada, Kandhamal, Gajapati, and Kalahandi districts.

Addressing the gathering, Panda said the surrender demonstrates the weakening influence of extremist ideology and the success of sustained operations by SOG, DVF, CRPF, and BSF. He assured that all surrendered Maoists would be rehabilitated under the State Government’s Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy, which provides financial assistance, vocational training, and skill development to help them reintegrate into society with dignity.

Also Read: Odisha: 22 Maoists Surrender with Arms in Malkangiri

The event was attended by senior officials including Amitendra Nath Sinha, IG CRPF; Deepak Kumar, IG Operations; Akhileshvar Singh, DIG SIW; Vishal Singh, DIG Koraput; Ashutosh Kulkarni, Collector Rayagada; Swathi, SP Rayagada; Harish BC, SP Kandhamal; and Nagaraj, SP Kalahandi.

With districts such as Nuapada, Nabarangpur, Malkangiri, Koraput, and Boud already declared Maoist-free, the surrender is seen as another step towards restoring peace in Odisha. Panda appealed to remaining Maoists to shun violence and join the democratic mainstream, assuring them of full support under the surrender policy.