BHUBANESWAR: As part of the Odisha Police’s final and coordinated push to eliminate Left-wing extremism (LWE) by March 31, DGP YB Khurania visited Kandhamal on Sunday and reviewed the Naxal situation in the district.
Addressing mediapersons, Khurania praised the efforts of Odisha Police’s Special Operations Group (SOG), district voluntary force (DVF) and Special Intelligence Wing (SIW) as well as central paramilitary forces CRPF and BSF for eliminating the menace from the state.
He appealed to the remaining cadres to surrender before the state police and join the mainstream. “About 77 Maoists surrendered before Odisha Police and 23 others operating in the state laid down their arms in neighbouring Chhattisgarh in the last one year. The security forces also neutralised 27 Maoists in various operations during the period,” said the DGP. During his visit to Phulbani, Khurania was accompanied by Anti-Naxal Operations ADG Sanjeeb Panda.
As per Odisha Police, the number of active Maoists in the state has come down to single digits. Police said a small group of cadres continue to hide in the forests of Kandhamal-Kalahandi-Rayagada region and the security forces are carrying out continuous operations to apprehend them.
Sources said around eight to nine Naxals remain underground in the state. Of them, at least two sustained gunshot injuries during operations recently and have not come forward to surrender. A woman cadre’s husband had surrendered before Chhattisgarh Police, but she is yet to lay down her arms.