Phulbani, March 25:
In a major success for anti-Maoist operations in Odisha, five hardcore Maoists, including State Committee Member Sukru alias Kosa Sodi, surrendered before the police in Phulbani of Kandhamal district on Tuesday.
The surrender took place during a special function held at the Reserve Police Lines, where the Maoists voluntarily laid down their arms and decided to rejoin the mainstream of society. Senior officials, including ADG (Anti-Naxal Operations) Sanjeeb Panda, were present on the occasion.
Security forces recovered five weapons from the surrendered cadres, including one AK-47 rifle, one INSAS rifle, two .303 rifles, and one single-shot gun, along with a large quantity of ammunition.
Sukru, a native of Malkangiri district, carried a reward of ₹55 lakh on his head. The total reward on all five Maoists stood at ₹66 lakh. Under the state government's surrender and rehabilitation policy, they will receive financial assistance of around ₹83 lakh, along with vocational training to help them reintegrate into society.
ADG Sanjeeb Panda stated that the surrender reflects the weakening influence of Maoist activities in the state. He credited sustained operations by SOG, DVF, CRPF, and BSF for eroding the Maoist base in Odisha.
According to officials, the group was active in the KKBN division of Kandhamal district. Following the killing of Central Committee Member Ganesh Uike in December 2025 and continuous security operations, the Maoists became demoralized and chose to surrender.
With this development, the number of active Maoist cadres in Odisha has dropped to around 8–9, with their presence now limited to a few pockets of Kandhamal district.
Meanwhile, districts such as Nuapada, Nabarangpur, Malkangiri, Koraput, Boudh, Bolangir, Rayagada, and Kalahandi have been declared completely Naxal-free.
Odisha Police has reiterated its commitment to making the state Naxal-free by March 31, 2026, and has appealed to remaining Maoists to shun violence and surrender, assuring full support under the rehabilitation policy.