Odisha: 22 Maoists lay down arms in rare mass surrender
Twenty-two members of the banned CPI (Maoist), including a Divisional Committee Member and six Area Committee Members, surrendered to Odisha Police in Malkangiri on Tuesday.
They turned in a stash of weapons and ammunition, marking the state's first mass Maoist surrender this year.
Who surrendered—and why it matters
The group had been active in Maoist-affected areas of Odisha, with most members originally from Chhattisgarh.
Their bounties totaled over ₹2 crore. Each surrendered member received ₹25,000 as interim relief and up to ₹4 lakh for their weapons, plus access to housing, job training, health coverage, and marriage support.
This move comes after Odisha revised its policy last month—offering higher rewards than neighboring states—and increased security pressure on Maoist groups.
Many cited feeling disillusioned with the cause and responded to appeals from government and police leaders to give up arms.