Bhubaneswar: Security forces are on alert following reports that Maoists were planning attacks on wildlife sanctuaries and reserve forests which are ideal hide-outs for them.

In the past, rebels have carried out attacks on the Similipal national park and Sunabeda wildlide sanctuary on Odisha-Chhattisgarh border. However, they are now planning to make inroads into the reserve forests of Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri districts apart from penetrating deeper into the Satkosia tiger reserve in Angul district.

Rayagada additional superintendent of police Jagannath Rao said Maoists had been using forests and wildlife sanctuaries to secretly carry out their activities without being noticed. He said security forces need to intensify combing operation in such areas to thwart the plans of rebels.

A source said Maoists were first spotted in the Satkosia wildlife sanctuary in 2015. Their movement were noticed in Chutkei, Krushnachakragarh, Chuanri, Tuluka and Pampasar. Last October, security forces had carried out an intensive combing operation in Satkosia reserve forests following reports about the movement of a group of 200 Maoists.