Bihar Declared Free of Organized Maoist Violence After Key Surrender

Bihar has been officially declared free of organized Maoist violence following the surrender of Suresh Koda, one of the state's last active armed Maoist commanders, in Munger. Koda, a declared absconder with a Rs 3 lakh bounty, laid down arms before the Special Task Force. The Maoist movement in Bihar peaked in the early 2000s after the merger of major groups, leading to significant attacks including the 2005 Jehanabad jailbreak. The movement's roots trace back to the 1960s Naxalbari uprising in West Bengal.