A day after 19 Maoists surrendered before the Odisha police, 15 more hardcore red rebels carrying around a 2 crore cash reward on their heads pledged to shun the path of violence to join the mainstream in the latest setback to Naxal activities.
Fifteen hardcore Maoists surrendered before Sanjeeb Panda, Additional Director General (Anti-Naxal Operations), Odisha Police, at a special function held at the District Police Office (DPO), Rayagada, according to a statement issued by the government.
The Maoists, who surrendered, voluntarily laid down their arms and handed over their weapons to Panda, symbolising their decision to renounce violence and rejoin the mainstream of society.
The surrender of 15 Maoists reflects the steadily weakening influence of left-wing extremist ideology in the region and the growing trust of misguided youth in the government’s development-oriented and people-centric approach, the ADG (anti-Naxal) operation said on the occasion.
He emphasised that sustained operation by the Special Operation Group, the District Voluntary Force, the CRPF, and the BSF has eroded the base of the Maoists.
The ADG further assured that all surrendered Maoists would be extended the 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 15 Maoists include Nikhil and Indu, both State Committee Members, and they were carrying rewards of 55 lakh each. The 15 Maoists have two State Committee Members, one Divisional Committee Member, five Area Committee Members, and eight party members. Together, they were carrying a reward of Rs 1.98 crore.
They surrendered 14 weapons, including two AK-47 rifles, five SLRs, one INSAS, one sten gun, one .303, four single shots, and a huge cache of ammunition. The reward against the arms is about Rs 16 lakh.
The 15-member group was from the BGN division (Bansadhara, Ghuman, Nagabali) and was operating in Rayagada, Kandhamal, Gajapati, and Kalahandi districts.
Nikhil had joined the Maoist organisation in 2004, and he had been active in BGN since 2008. After the killing of Central Committee Member Ganesh Uike in Kandhamal in December 2025, Nikhil was the next highest-ranking Maoist in the state.
Increased security operations and successes in interior Naxal hotbeds have led the armed cadres to leave the path of violence and join the mainstream.