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New Indian Express
10-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Sanjeeb Panda gets big responsibility as ADG of anti-Naxal operations, SIW
BHUBANESWAR : Amid the Centre's target to eliminate left-wing extremism (LWE) by March next year, the Odisha government has appointed 1994 batch IPS officer Sanjeeb Panda as ADG, anti-Naxal operations. In a notification issued on Wednesday, the Home department said Panda will look after the functioning of both Special Intelligence Wing (SIW) and anti-Naxal operations. The government assigning Panda with the responsibility of looking after both anti-Naxal operations and SIW assumes significance as usually two senior officers are given separate responsibilities to head the Special Operations Group (SOG) and intelligence collection related to the activity of the red ultras. As per sources, the government is of the opinion that Panda heading both the anti-Naxal operations and SIW will enhance coordination among the officers and help to effectively deal with the Naxal menace, which is currently prevalent mostly in four districts - Kandhamal, Boudh, Nuapada and Rayagada. Panda was serving as ADG (Training) and director of Biju Patnaik State Police Academy (BPSPA) here. He has earlier served as director Intelligence, Bhubaneswar-Cuttack police commissioner, among others. Meanwhile, IG (Training) Anup Sahoo will remain as in-charge director of BPSPA until further orders. In a related development, the state government appointed 2009 batch IPS officer and South Western Range DIG Akhilesvar Singh as DIG SIW. Kanwar Vishal Singh, a 2010 batch IPS officer, who was DIG SIW, was posted in place of Akhilesvar Singh as the new DIG South Western Range.
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Govt appoints ADG Panda as head of anti-Maoist operations
Bhubaneswar: State govt on Wednesday appointed ADG Sanjeeb Panda to exclusively lead anti-Maoist operations, a new post in Odisha police, with about eight months remaining before the Centre's March 2026 deadline to eliminate Maoists from the country. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Earlier, the director (intelligence) managed anti-Maoist operations. The govt also appointed Akhileshvar Singh as DIG of special intelligence wing (SIW), a dedicated unit responsible for gathering Maoist intelligence and supporting anti-Maoist operations. Panda previously led SIW as a DIG-rank officer. Singh, formerly DIG (south-western range), exchanges posts with Kanwar Vishal Singh. The home department's notification read, "Panda, who was ADG (training), will look after functioning of both SIW and anti-Naxal operations. He will directly report to DGP." "The appointment aims to further strengthen anti-Maoist operations in accordance with Union home minister Amit Shah's directive to eliminate Naxals nationwide by March 2026," a senior police officer said. The creation of the maiden anti-Maoist chief position is particularly significant as chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi prepares to attend the Eastern Zonal Council meeting in Ranchi on Thursday, chaired by Shah. The agenda encompasses inter-state matters and Left-wing extremism (LWE). Officers said that Panda will conduct a thorough assessment of anti-Maoist strategies in the wake of the recent theft of about 5,000kg of gelatin sticks by Maoists from a Sundargarh district quarry on May 27. The incident created concern as Sundargarh was removed from the list of LWE-affected districts last year. Odisha police claimed that the state's LWE situation remains in control compared to Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, where recent anti-Maoist operations resulted in casualties of a large number of rebels. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Police sources said that while 10 districts — Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Boudh, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Balangir and Bargarh — are officially LWE-affected, three — Koraput, Rayagada and Nabarangpur — have recorded no Maoist incidents in three years. The CM recently informed the assembly that only about 100-120 Maoists currently operate in the state. Records indicated that security forces eliminated 118 Maoists over the past decade. Between 2015 and Jan 2025, forces neutralised 118 Naxals, arrested 315 involved in Naxal activities, and facilitated 238 Maoist surrenders.
Time of India
28-05-2025
- Time of India
Maoists from J'khand involved in explosive-laden truck theft: Police
1 2 Bhubaneswar/Rourkela: Odisha police confirmed on Wednesday that Maoists from neighbouring Jharkhand were responsible for hijacking an explosive-laden truck from a stone quarry in K Balang area of Sundargarh district on Tuesday. The incident marked a significant Maoist operation after an extended period of reduced LWE activity in Odisha, triggering apprehension of a disruption of the Centre's objective to establish a 'Maoist free' India by March 2026. The daylight theft of four tonnes of gelatin sticks, which cops fear could be used against security personnel, has raised concerns as Sundargarh had been declared Naxal-free in April 2024. DGP Y B Khurania, IG (operations) Deepak Kumar and special intelligence wing (SIW) DIG Kanwar Vishal Singh visited Rourkela to review the investigation. Odisha police have launched an extensive anti-Maoist search operation with the help of the neighbouring Jharkhand police and CRPF. "The Naxals entered from neighbouring Jharkhand, given the Banko quarry's proximity to Maoist-active areas of West Singhbhum district in Jharkhand. Joint anti-Maoist search operations are underway," DIG (western range) Brijesh Rai told TOI. Rai mentioned that Sundargarh, free from Maoist activities and violence for over 10 years, was removed from the left-wing extremism (LWE) affected areas list and the Centre's security-related expenditure (SRE) scheme last year. According to police reports, roughly 25 to 30 armed Naxals entered the quarry on Tuesday around 10 am, holding two labourers and a manager at gun-point after the explosives-laden lorry arrived. The armed group compelled the driver to operate the vehicle under duress. They released him at Relhatu area under K Balang police limits around 5 pm. "They were speaking in Hindi and claimed to be Maoists. I pleaded for mercy. They spared me," said the truck driver, Debnath Toppo. Police have sealed an explosive storage facility at Itma under Bargaon police limits in Sundargarh, which supplied the gelatin sticks to the Banko quarry. Security analysts criticised the SIW's performance. "Despite Sundargarh's removal from the LWE affected areas list and the SRE scheme, the special intelligence wing should have continued monitoring Maoist movements. They should not have lowered their guard. Naxals must have conducted recce before striking," said S N Sahoo, a retired police officer. Records indicate a similar incident took place in 2012 when Maoists hijacked an explosive-laden van in Sundargarh district.
