Phulbani (Kandhamal): Odisha Director General of Police (DGP) Yogesh Bahadur Khurania on Sunday undertook a day-long visit to the Maoist-affected Kandhamal district, where he reviewed ongoing anti-Naxal operations and motivated security personnel engaged in intensive combing drives.
The DGP arrived by helicopter from Bhubaneswar and landed at the Madikunda Chowk Reserve Police Ground. He was accorded a warm welcome by Southern Range IG Neeti Shekhar, Kandhamal SP Harish Bishoi, and other senior officers with floral bouquets. Accompanying the DGP were ADGP Sanjeev Panda and DIG Akhileshwar Singh.
During the visit, DGP Khurania inaugurated a new Indoor Sports Complex at the Police Reserve Ground, aimed at promoting physical fitness and recreation among police personnel and their families.
He later held a detailed interaction with jawans from the Special Operations Group (SOG), District Voluntary Force (DVF), and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). The DGP praised their relentless day-and-night efforts in combing operations and lauded their role in pressuring Maoist cadres to surrender while neutralizing hardcore elements, including dreaded Maoist leader Ganesh and his associates in recent encounters.
Highlighting the significant progress made in recent months, Khurania noted that sustained search operations have considerably weakened the Maoist network in Kandhamal. As many as 77 Maoists have surrendered before Odisha Police, while 23 others from the state surrendered in Chhattisgarh. In the same period, 27 Maoists were killed in police encounters.
"Only a small group remains active now. We are appealing to them to surrender and join the mainstream. The police will continue to provide all possible assistance and rehabilitation support to those who lay down arms," the DGP said while addressing the jawans.
He specially felicitated and motivated the brave personnel from SOG, DVF, and BSF who have displayed exemplary courage in the anti-Maoist operations.
The meeting was attended by senior officers, including Southern Range IG Neeti Shekhar, 136 Battalion Commandant Manas Ranjan Panda, 21st Battalion BSF Commandant Ajay Kumar, IGP Deepak Kumar, and Kandhamal SP Harish Bishoi.
This visit comes as Odisha Police intensifies its final push to make the state Maoist-free, in line with the Centre’s target. Kandhamal remains one of the last pockets of residual Maoist activity in the state, and security forces are maintaining high-pressure operations in the forested regions.
The DGP’s on-ground review and direct interaction with troops are expected to further boost the morale of forces engaged in the challenging terrain of Kandhamal.