Chalapathi’s death boost to anti-Maoist operations: Cops | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: Death of top Maoist leader Chalapathi in a joint operation by Odisha and Chhattisgarh police and CRPF personnel in the neighbouring state’s Gariabandh district on Tuesday marks a crucial development in the fight against Naxalism, state police said.
“Chalapathi’s death along with 13 other leaders in the last two days is particularly significant as he exercised substantial control over Left-wing extremist operations in Odisha for decades. This is the first time a top central committee member of the Maoist organisation was killed in an encounter,” DGP Y B Khurania told TOI.
Around 120-125 Maoist leaders are active in Odisha. While only six or seven are from Odisha, about 80% of them are from Chhattisgarh, and a small portion from Andhra Pradesh.
According to police officers, Chalapathi’s death would be a body blow to Maoist activities in the Kandhamal-Boudh-Kalahandi-Nuapada axis because the rebels were frequently infiltrating Odisha from Chhattisgarh. He exercised substantial control over Maoists along the axis.
Senior officers said a decision was recently taken to step up operations against Maoists along the Odisha-Chhattisgarh boundary to restrict their cross-border movement. Seven Maoist-affected Odisha districts — Bargarh, Koraput, Malkangiri, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Nuapada and Balangir — share borders with Chhattisgarh.
Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi recently sought additional forces and helicopter assistance from the Centre to counter Maoist infiltration from Chhattisgarh, following recent successful operations against the rebels in the neighbouring state.
According to police, Maoist activities in the state are under control. The Centre has set a target to root out Maoist menace from the country by March 2026.
LWE is currently limited to 10 districts — Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Bargarh, Balangir, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Kandhamal and Boudh.
State govt recently launched a new scheme, Gramodaya, to improve the socio-economic condition of people in Maoist-affected areas. The new initiative will merge more than 40 public welfare schemes to cover all villages in LWE-affected areas with basic infrastructure and services.
“Odisha govt is committed to pursuing the uniform strategy of pro-active security response and holistic development of LWE-affected areas,” a senior govt officer said, adding the state has also decided to extend the centrally-sponsored Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan in the LWE-affected areas.
“Chalapathi’s death along with 13 other leaders in the last two days is particularly significant as he exercised substantial control over Left-wing extremist operations in Odisha for decades. This is the first time a top central committee member of the Maoist organisation was killed in an encounter,” DGP Y B Khurania told TOI.
Around 120-125 Maoist leaders are active in Odisha. While only six or seven are from Odisha, about 80% of them are from Chhattisgarh, and a small portion from Andhra Pradesh.
According to police officers, Chalapathi’s death would be a body blow to Maoist activities in the Kandhamal-Boudh-Kalahandi-Nuapada axis because the rebels were frequently infiltrating Odisha from Chhattisgarh. He exercised substantial control over Maoists along the axis.
Senior officers said a decision was recently taken to step up operations against Maoists along the Odisha-Chhattisgarh boundary to restrict their cross-border movement. Seven Maoist-affected Odisha districts — Bargarh, Koraput, Malkangiri, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Nuapada and Balangir — share borders with Chhattisgarh.
Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi recently sought additional forces and helicopter assistance from the Centre to counter Maoist infiltration from Chhattisgarh, following recent successful operations against the rebels in the neighbouring state.
According to police, Maoist activities in the state are under control. The Centre has set a target to root out Maoist menace from the country by March 2026.
LWE is currently limited to 10 districts — Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Bargarh, Balangir, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Kandhamal and Boudh.
State govt recently launched a new scheme, Gramodaya, to improve the socio-economic condition of people in Maoist-affected areas. The new initiative will merge more than 40 public welfare schemes to cover all villages in LWE-affected areas with basic infrastructure and services.
“Odisha govt is committed to pursuing the uniform strategy of pro-active security response and holistic development of LWE-affected areas,” a senior govt officer said, adding the state has also decided to extend the centrally-sponsored Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan in the LWE-affected areas.
