Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi told the Assembly Monday that 123 Maoists and 11 security personnel were killed in encounters in different parts of the state since 2014.
In a written reply to a query from BJP legislator Prasanta Kumar Jagadev, the Chief Minister said 219 exchange of fire took place in the state from January 1, 2014 to November 15, 2024. In the encounters, 123 Maoists were neutralized and 11 security personnel received martyrdom, he said.
As per the statement, the highest 36 Maoists were killed in police encounters in the year 2016 while 19 were killed in 2018, 16 in 2020 and three in 2023.
In 2017, 2021 and 2022 seven Maoists each were killed by security forces, he said, adding that six, nine and eight Maoists were killed in encounters in 2014, 2015 and 2019, respectively.
During the current year (till November 15), five Maoists were neutralised by security forces in the state, Majhi said.
Out of 11 security personnel who received martyrdom during the exchange of fire in the period, three each were killed in 2015 and 2022 while two such deaths were reported in 2020. Death of one security official was reported in the year 2016, 2017, and 2019, he said.
No death of security personnel was reported in the remaining years—2014, 2018, 2021, 2023 and 2024 (till Nov 15), Majhi stated.
The Chief Minister, in his reply, also said that 336 Maoists and militias surrendered and returned to the mainstream in the state during the 11 years. While 101 Maoists surrendered in 2014, 65 Maoists surrendered in 2015, 31 in 2016, 27 in 2018 and 23 in 2024 (till Nov 15).
Following the call of Union Home Minister to eliminate Maoists from the country by 2026, the state government has taken several steps for eradication of Maoists from the state within the targeted timeline, he said.
The anti-Maoist operations in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) -affected areas are being intensified in coordination with central security forces, state police force and police of LWE-affected neighbouring states.
The coordination between the central intelligence bureau, state’s special intelligence wing and intelligence branches of neighbouring Maoist-affected states have been strengthened to closely monitor the activities of Maoists and the anti-Maoist operations have been intensified, he said.
The CM said adequate security personnel have been deployed to fill up the security vacuum in the Maoist-affected areas.
To strengthen the state police for anti-Maoist operations, the state government has approved the formation of three units of the new Odisha Special Striking Force (OSSF) with retired army personnel. The recruitment process has been started, he told the House.
Besides, immediate steps are being taken to fill up various vacant posts in the state Police department, he added.
PTI