11 Maoists, including DCM Nakul, surrender in Odisha’s Kalahandi

ELeven Maoists, including Divisional citizens committee fellow member (DCM) Nakul, surrendered before Odisha theatre director superior general of police force (DGP) Y B Khurania in Kalahandi on Sunday, police said.According to the police, Nakul, a native of Maharashtra, carried a reward of ₹22 lakh as a DCM of the Odisha State Committee of Maoists. Of the 10 others, five are Area Committee members and five are party cadres, with cumulative rewards amounting to ₹63.25 lakh.The Maoists handed over 11 weapons, including an AK-47 rifle, an Indian Small Arms System (INSAS) rifle, four Self-Loading Rifles (SLR), four single-shot firearms and a 12-bore gun, along with a large quantity of ammunition.The group was active in the Basdhara-Ghumsar-Nagabali division of the Maoists, covering parts of Kalahandi, Rayagada and Kandhamal districts. While Nakul hails from Maharashtra, the rest are from Chhattisgarh, DGP Khurania said.Also Read: 10 Maoist cadres, including leader with ₹55 lakh bounty, surrender in OdishaAddressing the gathering at the Reserve Police Lines in Bhawanipatna town, Khurania said the surrender of senior cadre Nakul reflects the “steadily weakening influence” of Left Wing Extremism in the region. He added that sustained operations by the Special Operations Group, District Voluntary Force and central paramilitary forces such as the Central Reserve Police Force and Border Security Force have significantly eroded Maoist bases in the state.Additional Director General (Anti-Naxal Operations) Sanjeeb Panda said that with the latest surrender, the number of armed Maoist cadres active in Odisha has come down to around 15, mostly confined to border areas of Kandhamal.The surrendered Maoists will get compensation amounting to ₹1.23 crore, including additional cash incentives of ₹60 lakh, Panda added.Police said Maoist cadres have been increasingly demoralised following the killing of Central Committee member Ganesh Uike in Kandhamal in December 2025 and intensified security operations in the region, officials said.Also Read: 4 Maoists surrender before police in Odisha’s KandhamalMeanwhile, the Odisha government has launched a major initiative aimed at engaging youth in Maoist-affected regions through sports.Under the Gramodaya campaign, the Department of Sports and Youth Services will distribute sports equipment to 485 villages across 10 Maoist-affected districts, with each village getting a sports kit worth ₹50,000. The initiative will cover villages in the districts of Bargarh, Balangir, Boudh, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Nuapada and Rayagada.Each kit will include equipment for outdoor sports such as cricket, football, volleyball and badminton, along with indoor games like chess and carrom. Local youth clubs will be responsible for purchasing the equipment, while District Sports Officers will help form clubs in villages where none exist.Officers said the campaign aims to promote sports, identify hidden talent in remote regions and encourage a healthy lifestyle among rural youth, while sending a broader message of peace and development in Maoist-affected areas.