Bhubaneswar, March 15: A significant development took place in Kalahandi district of Odisha on Sunday, with 11 Maoists surrendering to the Police authorities.

The event occurred at the Reserve Police Ground in Bhawanipatna, in the presence of Odisha's Director General of Police (DGP), Y.B. Khurania.

The individuals who laid down their arms were members of the Bansadhara-Ghumusar-Nagabali Maoist division. These cadres had been associated with the Maoist organization for an extended period before deciding to abandon the violent path and reintegrate into society.

Police said that the sustained combing operations by security forces, combined with the state's effective surrender and rehabilitation policy, played a pivotal role in persuading the Maoists to renounce their cause.

The surrender marks a significant blow to the Bansadhara-Ghumusar-Nagabali division, effectively dismantling the group's operations in the region. Under the state's rehabilitation policy, the surrendered Maoists will be offered support and benefits to help them reintegrate into civilian life.