Koraput Turns The Page On Three Decades Of Maoist Violence

Bhubaneswar : After more than three decades defined by Maoist violence, fear and disrupted development, Odisha’s Koraput district has officially been declared Maoist-free — a milestone that signals the end of one of the state’s longest-running internal security challenges. 

Once a key stronghold of Left-wing extremism, undivided Koraput repeatedly witnessed police station bombings, landmine explosions, abductions of elected representatives and targeted killings. The insurgency paralysed infrastructure projects and isolated large parts of the tribal belt, deepening economic and social vulnerabilities. 

Officials said Maoist activity had been steadily declining over the past five years, aided by coordinated security operations and surrender-and-rehabilitation initiatives. Following the Centre’s 2026 nationwide deadline to eradicate Maoist influence, joint operations intensified across the Odisha–Andhra Pradesh–Chhattisgarh tri-junction. Several senior Maoist leaders were neutralised, large arms caches were seized and dozens of cadres surrendered to join the mainstream. 

Security forces — including central paramilitary units, Odisha’s Special Operations Group and elite anti-Naxal squads — maintained sustained pressure in dense forest corridors that once served as insurgent hideouts. Authorities paired enforcement with financial assistance, skill programmes and reintegration packages aimed at encouraging defections. 

Koraput’s Maoist past was shaped by long-standing grievances linked to underdevelopment, governance deficits and allegations of corruption in tribal regions. Insurgent groups routinely targeted police infrastructure, destroyed communication networks and blocked road construction, stalling state presence. The human toll was severe: civilians and security personnel died in repeated landmine blasts and ambushes. 

Major flashpoints included the coordinated police station attacks of 2004, a 2009 landmine blast that killed nine security personnel, the 2010 Damanjodi hilltop assault that left 10 CISF jawans dead, and the 2012 abduction of then MLA Jhina Hikaka, which drew national attention. 

The formal declaration followed the surrender of a woman Maoist cadre on Thursday, symbolically closing a turbulent chapter. Officials, however, caution that peace must be reinforced through sustained vigilance and inclusive development to prevent a relapse. 

“Koraput’s transition is not merely a security victory — it is a test of whether governance can now fill the vacuum insurgency once occupied,” said Chandrabhanu Singh, a local human rights defender.