BARGARH: In a major breakthrough against Left-Wing Extremism, 15 armed Naxals belonging to the Odisha state committee of the banned CPI (Maoist) surrendered before the police in Chhattisgarh’s Mahasamund district on Saturday.
According to a statement issued by the office of the Mahasamund SP, the surrendered cadres were active members of Bargarh-Balangir-Mahasamund (BBM) divisional committee under the western sub-zone of the Odisha committee. Of the 15 cadres, nine are women.
The surrendered Maoists carried a cumulative bounty of Rs 73 lakh. Among them is senior leader Sudarshan (57), a state committee member with a reward of Rs 25 lakh on his head. Two divisional committee members carried rewards of `8 lakh each, five area committee members had `5 lakh bounty each, and seven party members had rewards of `1 lakh each.
A total of 14 firearms including three AK-47, two SLRs, two INSAS and four .303 rifles besides three 12-bore guns were surrendered.
Police said the BBM division was formed after 2010 and operated in Odisha-Chhattisgarh border areas. With the surrender, the western sub-zone of the Odisha committee has been completely dismantled.
Authorities attributed the mass surrender to sustained outreach under the ‘Puna Margam-Rehabilitation to Rejuvenation’ initiative, which includes appeals through public communication channels and assurances of rehabilitation benefits. Senior police and administrative officials from Chhattisgarh and Odisha, including IG-ranked officers and SPs of Mahasamund, Bargarh and Balangir were present during the surrender ceremony.
IG (Northern Range) Himanshu Lal said sustained anti-Naxal operations and rehabilitation efforts are progressing in line with the target of making the country Naxal-free by March 31 this year. Extremists are being encouraged to voluntarily surrender and join the mainstream to avoid further conflict.
“Our preference is always a peaceful resolution through surrender and rehabilitation. However, if they choose to continue on the path of violence, security forces will be compelled to take appropriate action in accordance with the law,” Lal said.
Police appealed to remaining the Maoist cadres in Bastar and Odisha’s eastern sub-zone to lay down arms and join the mainstream.
Balangir, Bargarh now Naxal-free, says DGP
Bhubaneswar: After 15 Maoists operating in Odisha laid down arms in neighbouring Chhattisgarh’s Mahasamund, Director General of Police (DGP) YB Khurania said Balangir and Bargarh have now become Naxal-free districts. The DGP said sustained joint operations conducted over a prolonged period, precise intelligence inputs, coordinated efforts of security forces and active cooperation from local residents have led to the complete elimination of Naxal activities from the two districts. He also warned that intensified operations will continue in other affected areas of the state to ensure the complete eradication of Left-Wing Extremism by March 31.