PHULBANI: Kandhamal police has released a ‘most wanted’ list featuring 33 high-profile Maoist cadres, offering substantial cash rewards for information leading to their capture.
Police have initiated a widespread ‘poster campaign’ across sensitive pockets of the district. These posters have been prominently displayed in different villages under Phringia, Gochhapada, Baliguda, Tumudibandha and Kotagarh police limits.
The reward structure highlights the hierarchy within the Maoist organisation, with the highest bounties assigned to senior leadership. A reward of Rs 1.2 crore has been placed on central committee member Ganesh Uike.
A Rs 65 lakh reward (each) has been offered for special zonal committee members Sudarshan, Nikhil, Ankita (alias Indu), Rashmita Lenka, Shukru (alias Krishna) and Nitu.
Similarly, a Rs 37.5 lakh reward (each) has been assigned to platoon commanders Shila and Renu. A reward of Rs 32 lakh has also been placed on each 10 members of the divisional committee.
Kandhamal SP Harisha BC said the campaign serves a dual purpose. While the bounties aim to disrupt the operational network of active cadres, the posters showcase the success of the government’s Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy. By featuring photographs of recently surrendered Maoists who have transitioned to the mainstream, police aim to encourage current insurgents to lay down their arms.
Stating that the anti-Maoist campaign in the region has reached a decisive stage, the SP urged local people to assist the administration without fear, assuring them that the identities of informants would be kept strictly confidential.
The move is seen as a major psychological and operational push to dismantle the remaining Maoist corridors in Kandhamal and aligns with the Union government’s mission to make India ‘Maoist-free’ by 2026, said police.