11 Maoists surrender with arms before Odisha Police in Kalahandi
Bhawanipatna (Odisha) (PTI): Eleven Maoists, including a Divisional Committee Member (DCM), carrying a bounty of Rs 22 lakh, surrendered before Odisha Police in Kalahandi district on Sunday, an officer said.
The Maoists surrendered and handed over their weapons to Odisha DGP Y B Khurania, ADG (anti-naxal operation) Sanjeeb Panda and other senior officers at a special function in Kalahandi district headquarters here, the officer said.
The 11 Maoists, including Divisional Committee member (DCM) Nakul, belong to the BGN (Bansadhara, Ghumsar, Nagavali) division of the outlawed CPI(Maoist).
While Nakul, a native of Maharashtra, was carrying a reward of 22 lakh on his head as DCM of Odisha State Committee, 10 others hail from Chhattisgarh.
The 11-member Maoist group comprised 1 DCM, 5 Area Committee Members (ACM) and 5 party members (PM). Together, they are carrying a reward of over Rs 63 lakh.
Addressing the gathering, DGP Khurania said, the surrender of Maoists reflects the steady weakening influence of left-wing extremist ideology in the region. He said that sustained operation by security forces led to the erosion of the Maoist base in the region.
"All surrendered Maoists would be extended the benefits under the state government's surrender and rehabilitation policy, including financial assistance, vocational training to help them reintegrate into society with dignity," the DGP said.
So far Nuapada, Nabarangpur. Malkangiri, Koraput, Boudh, and Bolangir districts have become Maoist-free. "Odisha Police is committed to make Odisha Maoist-free by March 31, 2026," the DGP said.
ADG (Anti-Naxal Operations) Sanjeeb Panda said that the surrender of 11 Maoists is a major step towards achieving the target set by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah to eliminate Maoists from the country by March 31.
"After the surrender of 11 Maoists on Sunday, the state now has only about 15 red rebels, including State Committee Member (SCM) Sukru, hiding in Kandhamal district," Panda said, adding that operations will be further intensified to nab the remaining Maoists active in the state.
The ADG said that the 11 surrendered Maoists will receive compensation of over Rs 1.23 crore, including additional cash compensation of Rs 60 lakh.
They have surrendered 11 weapons, including 1 AK-47, 1 INSAS, 4 SLR rifles, 4 single-shot rifles, one 12 bore gun, a huge quantity of ammunition and other articles. They will get about Rs 10 lakh for the weapons, he said.
The 11-member group was operating in the BGN Division and active in the districts of Kalahandi, Rayagada and Kandhamal.
Panda said after the killing of Central Committee Member (CCM) Ganesh Uike in Kandhamal in December 2025 and continuous and sustained operations, the Maoists were demoralised and decided to surrender and join the mainstream.
Panda said Maoist activities are now limited to the border areas of Kandhamal district. "The operation will be intensified in the coming days involving SOG, DVF, CRPF and BSF in bordering areas of Kandhamal, Kalahandi and Rayagada districts," the ADG said.
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Trump pauses Project Freedom, claims great progress for final agreement with Iran
Washington (PTI): President Donald Trump has suspended “Project Freedom,” to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, claiming progress in negotiations with Iran toward an agreement to end the war.
In a post on Truth Social on Tuesday, Trump said, “Great progress has been made toward a complete and final agreement with representatives of Iran.”
“Based on the request of Pakistan and other Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran and, additionally, the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran, we have mutually agreed that, while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, Project Freedom (The Movement of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz) will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed," Trump said.
Project Freedom was launched on Monday to escort ships, stranded due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, out to safety. Trump had announced the operation on Sunday and the US Central Command began implementing it the next day.
However, the Project led to friction in the vicinity of the narrow seaway, a key route for transporting one-fifth of the global oil supplies, with the UAE claiming that its ships were attacked by Iran. The US also claimed to have destroyed several Iranian small boats.
Trump’s statement on Truth Social came hours after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Operation Epic Fury, launched on February 28, had concluded as its objectives have been achieved.
"Operation Epic Fury is concluded. We achieved the objectives of that operation. We're not cheering for an additional situation to occur. We would prefer the path of peace. What @POTUS would prefer is a deal... that is, so far, not the route that Iran has chosen," Rubio told a press conference at the White House on Tuesday.
On Project Freedom, Rubio said the goal was to rescue almost 23,000 civilians from 87 different countries who were trapped inside the Persian Gulf and left for dead by the Iranian regime.
"This is not an offensive operation. This is a defensive operation, and what that means is very simple: there’s no shooting unless we're shot at first. We’re not attacking them, but if they're attacking us or they’re attacking a ship, you need to respond to that," Rubio said.
