Only a handful of Maoists remain in Odisha: DGP

Bhubaneswar(By Abhishek Mohanty): Odisha Director General of Police (DGP) Y.B. Khurania on Friday said that only a handful of Maoists are now active in the state. 

Addressing a press conference, the DGP clarified the surrender of Maoist couple Nikhil and Indu.
Nikhil alias Niranjan Rout of Jagatsinghpur and his wife Indu alias Ankita Lenka from Tangi in Cuttack district have surrendered before the police. The DGP informed that a total of 15 Maoists belonging to the Bansadhara–Ghumsar–Nagabali division have laid down arms.

Police sources said Nikhil was active in Rayagada, Gajapati and Kandhamal districts and had been involved in Maoist activities for more than two decades. 

The DGP added that a few Maoist cadres are still present in and around Kandhamal and adjoining districts.

Appealing to the remaining Maoists, the DGP urged them to give up arms and join the mainstream. He expressed confidence that the remaining cadres would surrender before the month of March this year.