Bhubaneswar: Amit Shah has honoured senior officers of the Odisha Police for their role in making Odisha free from Naxal activity as of March 31, 2026.
During the felicitation event, the Union Home Minister praised the coordinated efforts, determination and operational success of the Odisha Police and Central Armed Police Forces in eliminating Maoist influence from the state. Officers from several other Naxal-affected states also attended the programme.
According to officials, the Odisha Police, working jointly with Central Armed Police Forces, neutralised 156 Maoist cadres between 2025 and 2026 through encounters, arrests and surrenders.
Authorities stated that intensified anti-Naxal operations, intelligence coordination, infrastructure development and sustained security deployment played a major role in weakening Maoist networks across affected regions of the state.
Despite the declaration of Odisha as Naxal-free, officials confirmed that specialised anti-Maoist units and security forces will continue to remain deployed for at least two more years to prevent any possible resurgence of extremist activities.
The achievement is being viewed as a significant milestone in the state’s internal security and development efforts, particularly in previously affected tribal and remote districts.
