Bhubaneswar: Despite a significant decline in the Maoist group’s strength due to sustained operations and major surrenders, security forces in Malkangiri and Koraput districts are on high alert as the banned CPI(Maoist) prepares to observe its annual ‘PLGA week’ from December 2 to 8.
On Saturday, Inspector general (IG) of Border Security Force (BSF) Shiv Adhar Shrivastava said that they are coming closer to eradicating Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) within the next four months, underscoring the final phase of the decades-long counter-insurgency effort in Odisha.
Six battalions of BSF and the Odisha Police have intensified their coordinated anti-Maoist operations in the state with a multi-pronged approach, focusing on vigorous, intelligence-based tactical offensives coupled with a strong emphasis on development and rehabilitation.
“… Special operations are continuing, combining the efforts of the Odisha Police, BSF, SOG, and DVF. These long-sustained operations in our state and neighbouring states have created fear in the minds of the Maoists. The Odisha government particularly enhanced its Maoist surrender initiative. They can surrender by communicating through any possible channel…,” Shrivastava told ANI.
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He further noted that the actual number of Maoists in Odisha has fallen drastically. “Those still active are from other states using Odisha transit routes, which we have also blocked. We have set up new company bases in Kandhamal, which has restricted their movement in the region and we are receiving fewer inputs than before. The government is also constantly making efforts to bring them into the mainstream…,” he said.
Maoist presence and IED threats persist in dense forests of Kalahandi, Kandhamal, and Boudh with cadres from Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh often using these areas to retreat and regroup.
The banned CPI (Maoist) has admitted to losing 320 cadres nationwide over the past year, including eight central committee members, 15 state-level leaders, and General Secretary Basavaraj, with the highest casualties—243—reported from the Dandakaranya region.
“A total of 14 BSF personnel laid down their lives while combating Maoists in the state, said the BSF IG, while expressing happiness over Odisha police’s unflinching support in such operations.
Specific achievements of BSF in 2025
- Recovery of 10 IEDs, 8 arms, 640 detonators, 2 grenades, 171 gelatine sticks, 148 live ammunition and 260 gram of explosives.
- Total 6 Maoists have surrendered and 8 arrested.
- While two Maoists were gunned down in Odisha, the state police was involved in joint operations, eliminating 17 in Chhattisgarh’s Gariaband in January.
One of the most celebrated achievements is transforming the erstwhile cut-off area—once a Maoist stronghold — into Swabhiman Anchal. The Gurupriya Bridge, inaugurated in 2018, marked a watershed moment, connecting 151 villages and benefitting over 31,000 residents. This feat of engineering was supported by relentless efforts in securing the region and facilitating development.
The BSF also carried out several outreach programmes, including tribal youth exchange programmes, civic action programmes, exhibitions, and district-level job fairs, in order to get close to the local inhabitants for motivating the colleagues and relatives of Maoists to join the mainstream by surrendering themselves before law enforcement agencies.
