Bhubaneswar, Nov. 29: Odisha police today intensified its hunt for elusive rebel commander Ramakrishna even as a Maoist-sponsored bandh protesting against the killing of Kishan in neighbouring Bengal disrupted life in certain parts of the Odisha.

Sources said Ramakrishna, who heads the Odisha-Andhra special zonal committee of the Maoists and was the second most important rebel leader in the region after Kishan, had suddenly become the top priority for the security forces as his capture could sound the death knell of the radical movement in the entire eastern belt.

Ramakrishna is said to be ailing but has managed to elude the security forces hunting for him. He is said to have planned the kidnapping of former Malkangiri collector R. Vineel Krishna last February in consultation with Kishan with whom he shared an excellent rapport.

Sources said that contrary to the general perception that the CPI(Maoist) Odisha Organising Committee secretary Savyasachi Panda was the most wanted rebel leader for the security forces in Odisha, it was Ramakrishna and Daya, the secretary of the organisation’s Koraput-Srikakulam committee, that they were looking for. They operate both in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh with scores of cases against them.

“The hype over Savyasachi Panda is a media creation,” said a senior police officer.

Ramakrishna, unlike Savyasachi, issues commands and plans major operations. What makes him even more important for the police is the fact that he commands the rebel forces not only in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh but also in the adjoining Chhattisgarh.

Security remained tight throughout the day today in districts such as Sundergarh and Koraput with Maoists protesting against the killing of Kishan trying to enforce a bandh.

The impact of the shutdown was visible mostly in the interior areas with vehicles keeping off the road and shops downing shutters.