A woman cadre of the banned CPI (Maoist) surrendered before the Koraput police in Odisha. Mamata Podiami, also known as Mamita and Soni, hailing from Chhattisgarh, held an ACM rank in the CPI (Maoist). The surrender led to the declaration of Koraput district as Naxal-free by the Odisha Police.
Senior officials from the Odisha Police and the Border Security Force witnessed Mamata’s surrender in Jeypore, Koraput. She handed over an SLR rifle and 10 live rounds of ammunition during the surrender. Kanwar Vishal Singh, DIG, South Western Range, Koraput, announced the district’s Naxal-free status following the surrender.
Mamata was involved in various activities like exchange of fire, anti-government, and anti-national acts in the border regions of Odisha and Chhattisgarh. The Odisha government’s rehabilitation policy entitles her to Rs 5.50 lakh, an additional Rs 1.65 lakh for surrendering the rifle, and other financial rewards. Another CPI (Maoist) cadre surrendered in Malkangiri district, further strengthening the region’s Naxal-free status.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah previously stated Odisha’s progress towards eliminating Left-Wing Extremism (LWE). The government aims to eradicate LWE from the country by March 31, 2026.
