BHUBANESWAR: Koraput district in southern Odisha has been officially declared Maoist-free after the surrender of an underground ACM-ranked cadre of the banned CPI (Maoist) organisation before the local police on Thursday. Senior police officials termed the development a major milestone in Odisha’s sustained fight against Left-wing extremism and a significant step towards long-term peace and development in the region.
The announcement was made by South Western Range Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Kanwar Vishal Singh, who confirmed that Koraput is now free of Maoist presence following the surrender of Mamata Podiami alias Mamita alias Soni, a 26-year-old Area Committee Member (ACM). The surrender took place in the presence of DIG Kanwar Vishal Singh, DIG BSF (SHQ, Koraput), Koraput Superintendent of Police Rohit Verma, the Commandant of the BSF and the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Jeypore.
During the surrender, Mamata Podiami formally renounced violence and severed all links with extremist activities. She laid down one Self Loading Rifle (SLR), a magazine and 10 rounds of live ammunition. Police also recovered additional bullets and Maoist-related materials from her possession.
Addressing the media, the DIG said that with this surrender, Koraput district stands completely free of Maoist activity as of today, marking a decisive blow to the outlawed organisation in the region.
𝗞𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗽𝘂𝘁 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗡𝗮𝘅𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲
1 ACM ranked CPI (Maoist) cadre Mamata Podiami, surrendered before DIG SWR KPT today & returned to the mainstream.
This is a great success by Koraput Police. pic.twitter.com/qLeJlKnyKW— Koraput Police (@SPkoraput) February 5, 2026
According to police records, Mamata Podiami hails from Lingapuram village under Maratbaka gram panchayat in Pamed police station limits of Bijapur district in neighbouring Chhattisgarh. She was an active member of the Andhra-Odisha Border (AOB) military platoon of CPI (Maoist) and had been involved in several violent incidents, including exchanges of fire with security forces in the bordering areas of Odisha and Chhattisgarh. A reward of Rs 5.50 lakh had been declared on her head at the time of her surrender.
Police officials said that at least one serious criminal case was registered against her in 2023 at Katekalyan police station in Bijapur district under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Arms Act, the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Verification is currently underway regarding her involvement in other cases linked to anti-government and anti-national activities.
Officials confirmed that the surrender was made under the Odisha government’s Surrender-cum-Rehabilitation Policy for Maoist cadres. As per the policy, Mamata Podiami will be provided financial assistance of Rs 7.50 lakh along with other rehabilitation benefits, including vocational training, livelihood support and measures aimed at her social reintegration. The DIG assured that all assistance would be extended to her in accordance with government norms to help her return to the mainstream of society and lead a law-abiding life.
The surrender in Koraput comes amid a series of similar developments across Odisha in recent days. On Wednesday, a hardcore Maoist cadre carrying a reward of Rs 21 lakh surrendered before Malkangiri police, dealing a severe blow to Maoism in that district. A day earlier, a Maoist guerrilla identified as Prabhu, a native of Jharkhand who had been active in subversive activities for the past two years, surrendered before Rourkela Police in Sundargarh district. Officials said these back-to-back surrenders over the last three days highlight a growing trend of Maoists laying down arms in response to intensified security operations and the state’s renewed focus on rehabilitation.
Police attributed the recent surrenders to a combination of factors, including sustained pressure from security forces, repeated appeals by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and senior police leadership to abandon violence, increasing disillusionment with Maoist ideology, leadership vacuum within the organisation and waning local support. Officials noted that the government’s revised surrender and rehabilitation policy has played a crucial role in encouraging cadres to give up extremism and opt for peace and development.
Koraput was earlier considered a Maoist-affected district due to its proximity to Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh, where Maoist activity continues in certain pockets. Police officials said the latest surrender represents a major setback for CPI (Maoist) and reflects the success of coordinated security operations combined with development-oriented governance in restoring peace and stability in the region.
