Bhubaneswar, May 9: Combing operations were today stepped up in Nuapada district in Odisha where a police officer was shot dead after being abducted by the Maoists.

Senior police officers said the focus of the operation was on the area around Sunabeda sanctuary bordering Chhattisgarh where the bullet-ridden body of assistant sub-inspector Kruparam Majhi was found yesterday.

Majhi, 40, was escorting a water tanker to a CRPF camp at Godhas near the sanctuary when he was abducted by the rebels. His body, with hands and feet tied, was recovered a few hours later. It bore three bullet marks.

The last rites of the officer were performed at his native village, Beltunki, with full state honours in the presence of senior police officers.

South-western range DIG Soumendra Priyadarshi said the killing of the tribal police officer proved that the Maoists were making hollow claims about working for the poor and tribal people.

CRPF and Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Odisha police carrying out the combing operation in the area are being assisted by the Chhattisgarh cops, who are providing intelligence inputs apart from logistics support.

Maoist activity in Nuapada, especially in the Sunabeda sanctuary that extends up to the Chhattisgarh border, is a matter of growing concern for the Odisha police who fear that rebels from across the border may infiltrate the state in larger numbers in the near future.

“They are already using the sanctuary as a hideout and now also have a toehold in neighbouring districts such as Kalahandi and Balangir. It may get worse if we don’t stop them now,” said an officer.

In the past few years, there have been reports that Maoists were trying to cut a corridor through Nuapada to Chhattisgarh so that rebels on either side of the border could take part in inter-state operations more effectively.

This would also give Chhattisgarh rebels a strategic advantage in their bid to control western Odisha.

Senior officials said Maoists now appeared to be targeting areas with a concentration of mines or industries. A few years ago they had attacked a bauxite mine in Koraput district and gunned down 10 Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) jawans.

“The rebels are always on the look out for weapons and explosives. Besides, most of these areas have a sizeable tribal population which they trust to provide them shelter in case of need,” said an officer.