Odisha's Nabarangpur district is now officially Maoist-free—here's why that matters
India
Big news: Odisha police just declared Nabarangpur district free from Maoist activity, after nine CPI (Maoist) members—including two senior leaders and seven women—surrendered across the border in Chhattisgarh.
These surrenders came with a hefty combined bounty of ₹47 lakh.
Why should you care?
This is a pretty major milestone for Odisha. Nabarangpur hasn't seen major Maoist trouble since 2011, and now it joins Nuapada, which was declared free days earlier.
With just seven districts left to go, Odisha is getting closer to its goal of ending Left-Wing Extremism by 2026.
For young people especially, it's a sign that peace efforts are working—and that life in these areas might finally be changing for the better.