BHUBANESWAR: In a fresh push against red terrorism, Odisha Police have launched a major awareness and intelligence-gathering campaign in the Maoist-affected Gandhamardan region of Bolangir district, appealing to Maoists to surrender and offering cash incentives to citizens for credible information.
The campaign, titled “Catch Maoists, Get Rewarded,” involves the installation of posters across interior villages and forest-fringe areas, including Khaprakhol, Harishankar and Nandupala. Through the initiative, police are seeking active cooperation from local residents to track the movement and hideouts of Maoist cadres while encouraging them to return to the mainstream.
According to officials, individuals who provide actionable intelligence on Maoist activities, shelter points, or movement patterns will receive attractive cash rewards. The posters also prominently display police contact numbers and assure that the identity of informants will remain strictly confidential.
The posters list 15 wanted Maoist cadres and specify rewards for each name. The highest reward — ₹65 lakh — has been announced for Sudarshan alias Bikash, a Special Zonal Committee Member operating in the Nuapada-Bolangir-Bargarh Gandhamardan belt.
Police said the campaign is not limited to enforcement but also aims at rehabilitation. Maoists willing to surrender have been urged to abandon violence and join normal life under the government’s surrender and rehabilitation policy. Those laying down arms will be provided financial assistance, housing support and livelihood opportunities.
Officials described the initiative as a strategic shift in anti-Maoist operations in the region. In previous years, Maoists had allegedly used posters in the area to intimidate villagers and security personnel. Now, law-enforcement agencies are using the same medium to build public confidence and weaken Maoist networks.
Security agencies estimate Maoist strength in the region has drastically declined, with only small groups of four to five members active and the total number of cadres believed to be around 14 to 15. Authorities aim to further curb their influence in the coming months through intensified surveillance and public participation.
Police appealed to residents to cooperate and help restore lasting peace, assuring protection and anonymity for anyone who shares information.
