File picture of security personnel in Malkangiri

Bhubaneswar, Dec. 26: Security forces have intensified combing in the Maoist dens of southern and western Odisha where the rebels recently stepped up their activities.

Senior police officials hope that the latest drive would help net some big fish, including Odisha Maobadi Party supremo Sabyasachi Panda.

Sources said the BSF and the SOG jawans of Odisha police began searching the forest hide-outs of the Maoists in Malkangiri and Koraput districts early this morning following a tip-off.

“The operation in both the districts is on. We hope to make a few arrests shortly,” said a police officer. Malkangiri and Koraput have been in focus as far as the government’s anti-Maoist operation is concerned following two abductions by the rebels in as many years. The rebels kidnapped former Malkangiri collector R. Vineel Krishna in February 2011 while BJD MLA Jhina Hikaka was abducted in March.

Both the abductions were major embarrassments for the state government as the rebels before releasing the captives managed to prise out big concessions from the administration. Besides, the kidnappings struck terror in the hearts of the people in the two districts with even MLAs avoiding night visits to their constituencies.

A senior official said a renewed anti-Maoist operation in Malkangiri had also become a necessity because the rebels had struck deep roots in the “cut-off” area of the district consisting of around a dozen panchayats. “They have turned this area into a major base and are operating out of here, often carrying out joint strikes with their counterparts in Andhra Pradesh. This, incidentally, is the same area where a dozen Greyhound jawans of Andhra Pradesh police had been killed in 2008 while trying to cross reservoir,” said a police officer.

The forces are paying special attention to Narayanpatna of Koraput, the stronghold of Maoist-backed Chasi Muliya Adivasi Sangh. They are looking in particular for sangh chief Nachika Linga, who has managed to avoid arrest for the past few years, but keeps inciting the local tribals against the non-tribal landed gentry of the area.

At least twice in the past six months his followers grabbed land belonging to non-tribal landlords while police watched helplessly. “Nachika’s organisation is a menace to peace and we want him at any cost,” said an officer.