Bolangir, Bargarh Declared Naxal-Free As Odisha Tightens Final Push Against Maoists

Cuttack: In a major breakthrough in Odisha's long-running battle against Left-Wing Extremism, Odisha Police on Monday declared Bolangir and Bargarh as Naxal-free districts, marking a significant stride towards the Centre's target of making the country free of Maoist violence by March this year.

Announcing the development, Odisha Director General of Police (DGP) Yogesh Bahadur Khurania said sustained joint operations, actionable intelligence, close coordination between central and state forces and strong support from local communities led to the complete elimination of Naxal activities from the two western Odisha districts.

The announcement coincided with a mass surrender across the border in neighbouring Chhattisgarh. Fifteen Maoists active in the Bargarh-Bolangir-Mahasamund division laid down arms in Mahasamund district and joined the mainstream, effectively dismantling the last organised presence of the extremists in the region.

Congratulating the security personnel, the DGP credited their "courage, restraint and unwavering commitment" for the achievement and thanked the people for reposing trust in the police and assisting anti-Naxal operations. Police sources said the state now has only about 25 active Maoists, most of them operating in small splinter groups in Kandhamal district.

Of the 10 districts earlier classified as Maoist-affected in Odisha, only Kandhamal currently remains under the Centre’s Security Related Expenditure (SRE) scheme, while the others have been shifted to the category of "Other LWE-affected districts". The development comes amid intensified coordinated offensives across the country as part of the Centre's deadline to eliminate Left-Wing Extremism by March 31, 2026.

Security forces have stepped up joint operations, area domination, intelligence-based strikes and surrender-cum-rehabilitation drives in the remaining pockets of Maoist influence across the LWE corridor. Senior officials said Odisha's success in Bolangir and Bargarh has weakened the inter-State movement corridor used by Maoist cadres along the Odisha–Chhattisgarh border and will aid ongoing operations in Kandhamal.

Khurania said similar focused operations will continue in other vulnerable areas until the Naxal problem is "completely eradicated" from the state. With the latest declaration, Odisha moves closer to exiting the list of LWE-affected States, reflecting a sharp decline in Maoist activity over the past decade through a mix of security action, development measures and community engagement.

Read More

1. 15 Balangir-Bargarh-Mahasamund Committee Maoists Surrender In Chhattisgarh
2. Two Naxalites Killed In Encounter In Bijapur; Security Forces Recover Weapons, Explosives