Bhubaneswar, July 12: Faced with growing Maoist violence, the Orissa government has decided to chalk out a more effective strategy against the rebels with the focus on better coordination between Orissa police and the paramilitary forces on the one hand and the District Voluntary Force (DVF) and the elite Special Operations Group (SOG) on the other.

“For some reason or other the paramilitary forces deployed in the Naxal-prone areas have not been acting in sync with the state police. The problem is particularly acute in districts such as Malkangiri and Koraput, where the BSF has taken charge of anti-Maoist operation. We are going to sort out the problem soon,” said a senior official.

Sources said that the prevailing situation in the Maoist-dominated districts has been discussed at the highest level following the killings in Rayagada and Koraput.

The government appears particularly worried about the attack on policemen and homeguards as this has affected the morale of the force fighting the rebels.

Maoists have killed at least 22 people in the state since February, when they kidnapped former Malkangiri collector R. Vineel Krishna. In contrast, the police and paramilitary forces have gunned down three Maoists during the period. The government, which had suspended its offensive against Maoists in the wake of Krishna’s abduction, resumed combing operation late in March as the rebels were beginning to take advantage of the situation. “Had we not acted in time, they would have further consolidated their position and indulged in the worst kind of violence,” said an official pointing out that the Maoists were the first to violate their pact with the government in the wake of Krishna’s release.

With battle lines clearly drawn between the government and the Maoists, the government is not only keen to ensure better coordination between forces operating in rebel territory, but also strengthen its intelligence system.