Odisha Director General of Police (DGP) Y B Khurania, on Saturday, chaired a crucial meeting with senior officers of the CRPF and BSF at Phulbani in Kandhmal district, affirming the state police’s commitment to meeting the national deadline of March 31, 2026, for the elimination of Maoists from the country.
“As you know, the Union Home Minister has set a deadline to eliminate Maoists from the Indian soil. We are working in that direction, and the meeting today reviewed our progress and next course of action,” the DGP said.
Khurania visited Boudh, Kandhamal and Ganjam districts for a two-day visit and discussed various issues with senior officers. He discussed in detail with senior officers the law and order situation in the districts, including the Maoist problem, the prevention of ganja cultivation and smuggling and special strategy against criminals and Maoists in the coming days.
After visiting Boudh district, the DGP reached Kandhamal, the lone place in the state that still witnesses Maoist movements.
“Therefore, all concentrations are now on Kandhmal,” said a senior officer associated with the anti-Maoist operations.
“Though there are a handful of Odia-speaking people in the proscribed organisation at present, the majority of the cadre come from neighbouring Chhattisgarh,” Khurania said, noting that the number of local Maoists could be a maximum of eight.
To combat Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the state government has employed multi-pronged strategy, including intensified counter-insurgency operations, acceleration of developmental projects, and a crackdown on illegal ganja (cannabis) cultivation, which serves as a major source of funding.
Khurania said, “We have achieved a major success in Boudh, Kandhamal, Rayagada, Malkangiri and Koraput, by destroying ganja cultivation being carried out by the Maoists through their supporters. Ganja smuggling was the main source of funds for their operation. This has been stopped.”
