Motihari, Dec. 2: An alert has been sounded at Motihari Central Jail, where more than 50 rebels are lodged.

This comes following the killing of top Maoist leader Koteshwar Rao, alias Kishan, in an encounter in Bengal.

Sources pointed out that another reason for the alert is the arrest of about 16 Naxalites in the past one month from areas under the Rajepur police station in Pakridayal sub-division.

This, sources said, has fuelled speculations about the safety of at least four highly sensitive police stations in the area, which are regarded as the hub of Naxalite activities.

These police stations fall in East Champaran, Sheohar and Muzaffarpur districts.

Police said, seven out of the 16 arrested members were office bearer members of different guerrilla groups.

Since the March 13 encounter at Darmaha village in East Champaran, in which more than half a dozen Naxalites were gunned down and several others were arrested, resentment has been brewing among the members of the outfit.

An officer posted at a police station in a Naxalite-affected region, said if a combined team of the police from the three districts carry out a joint operation against the rebels, they would not be able to their plans.

Pakridayal deputy superintendent of police Bambam Choudhary has directed to intensify police patrol under the police stations concerned with the central reserve police force personnel.

These police stations are Rajepur and Madhuban in the district, Syampur Bhataha in Sheohar and Sewaipatti under Muzaffarpur district.

According to reports, the movement of rebels coming from Jamui-Bhagalpur and Magadh zones have gone up in several parts under East Champaran, Sheohar and Muzaffarpur districts.

Because of mounting police pressure under Rajepur and Sewaipatti police station areas, several places under Giddha and Runnisaidpur in the bordering Sitamarhi district have of late turned out to be safe hide-outs for the Naxalites.