Odisha Police are gearing up for a decisive strike against lingering Maoist insurgents in the dense Gandhamardan hills, a notorious hideout spanning Bolangir and Bargarh districts near the Chhattisgarh border. Senior officials, including Anti-Naxal ADG Sanjeeb Panda, have vowed to eradicate the Naxal threat from the area by March 31, aligning with the state's ambitious goal to become completely Naxal-free.

Intelligence reports indicate a small group of Maoists has regrouped in the hills after a period of relative calm, raising alarms about potential cross-border activity. "Gandhamardan has been a Maoist stronghold since 2008, but we're closing in with coordinated operations," Panda stated during a recent meeting with local superintendents. The terrain's rugged forests have long shielded rebels, but intensified patrols aim to change that.

The offensive will deploy additional CRPF battalions alongside Odisha's Special Operations Group (SOG), District Voluntary Force (DVF), and precise intel-led teams. Tightened security along the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border is also part of the strategy to prevent escapes or reinforcements. Past encounters here, like firefights and camp busts, underscore the risks involved.

Odisha has already neutralized Maoist presence in five districts—Nuapada, Nabarangpur, Malkangiri, Koraput, and Boudh—through surrenders and operations. In the last 70 days, 45 rebels have surrendered under a revamped policy offering rehabilitation benefits, even to Odia Maoists active outside the state. Similar drives target tri-junctions in Kandhamal, Rayagada, and Kalahandi next. Panda urged remaining insurgents to surrender, promising support for reintegration. Success here could pave the way for development in these remote areas, long hampered by violence.