Bhubaneswar, Aug 16: Odisha Police recorded significant gains in law and order, anti-Naxal operations, drug control, women and child safety, and police modernisation over the past two years, outgoing DGP Yogesh Bahadur Khurania said on Sunday, highlighting the declaration of Odisha as a Naxal-free state as the force’s biggest achievement.

Addressing a press conference at Police Bhawan, Khurania said Odisha was officially declared Naxal-free on March 31, 2026, following joint operations by the Odisha Police and Central security forces.

Over the two-year period, 29 hardcore Maoists, including Central Committee members Chalapati and Ganesh Uike, were killed, while 83 surrendered and 15 were arrested. Security forces also recovered 176 weapons and 159 IEDs.

Large-scale surrenders in Malkangiri, Rayagada, Kandhamal and Kalahandi between December 2025 and March 2026 further highlighted the success of the anti-Naxal campaign. To strengthen operations, three additional Odisha Special Striking Force (OSSF) battalions comprising ex-servicemen were raised, with 3,009 posts sanctioned. Risk allowances for security personnel were increased, while the revised Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy offers incentives of up to ₹1.20 crore to encourage Maoist cadres to give up violence and return to the mainstream.

The police also intensified their campaign against narcotics through the ‘Nisha Mukta Odisha Abhiyan’ and ‘Operation Prahar’. Drugs valued at around ₹4,195 crore were seized or destroyed, with 4,892 NDPS cases registered and 5,376 people arrested. A record 64,022 acres of illegal ganja cultivation was destroyed, leading to 1,395 cases and 48 arrests.

The seizures included 4,42,513 kg of ganja valued at about ₹2,211 crore, 28.53 kg of brown sugar worth ₹56.9 crore and 1,61,624 bottles of illegal cough syrup valued at ₹16.16 crore. NDPS cases increased by 23.8% during the first six months of 2026, reflecting intensified enforcement.

Overall crime also showed a declining trend. Compared with 2024, total crime fell by 30.2% in 2025 and 25.6% in 2026. Between January and June 2026, rape cases declined by 22.8%, dacoity by 14.2%, theft by 8.6%, rioting by 4.4%, murder by 2.9% and housebreaking by 0.8%. Core non-enforcement cognizable crime fell by 3.4%.

At the same time, enforcement cases rose sharply by 87.5%. Conviction rates improved significantly, with the conviction rate under the Indian Penal Code reaching 87.6% between July 2024 and December 2025. The state’s overall conviction rate stood at a record 37.9% in 2025. Between July 2024 and June 2026, courts completed 1,75,329 trials and convicted 57,881 accused.

Police also continued action against illegal arms and mineral smuggling. Under the Arms Act, 2,674 cases were registered and 3,388 people arrested. Authorities seized 910 weapons, including AK-47s, INSAS rifles and SLRs, along with 1,435 rounds of ammunition. In cases involving illegal mineral mining, 7,079 cases were registered and 2,007 people arrested. Special drives resulted in the execution of 34,978 non-bailable warrants and 44,036 warrants overall.

Women’s and children’s safety remained a key priority. Under ‘Operation Anweshan-2’, police traced 5,451 missing persons—including 786 children and 4,665 women—in just 10 days in January 2026. In 2025, 19,211 missing women were traced, exceeding the 17,747 women reported missing during the year.