Bhubaneswar, Feb. 7: Security forces, engaged in anti-Maoist operations, will narrow down their targets in the next few months, concentrating almost exclusively on the rebel citadels in the state’s southern districts.
Sources said the operation was set to be scaled up in southern Odisha districts such as Malkangiri, Rayagada and Koraput almost in direct proportion to its deceleration in the western part of the state where the Maoists have been maintaining a low profile for past sometime.
“It is more a question of priority. Right now, we consider that a more focused operation in southern Odisha is likely to pay dividends,” said a senior police officer.
Apart from the fact that the rebels are more active in the region, the southern districts are being accorded extra importance because the hide-outs of top Maoist leaders such as Ramakrishna and Modem Balakrishna are located there. Both are central committee members of the CPI(Maoist) and control the Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee of the organisation.
Besides, former Odisha State Organising Committee secretary Sabyasachi Panda, who since his expulsion from the party in August last year has floated the Odisha Maobadi Party, also operates in the bordering areas of Rayagada close to Kandhamal district. “Practically, all the big rebel leaders are right now active in the southern region. This is the right time for us to go all out against them,” said an officer.
As it is the security forces, carrying out combing operation in the southern districts, have notched up quite a few successes during the past one year. These include the killing of five associates of Sabyasachi Panda close to Gajapati border in November last year.
and subsequent arrest of two Maoists in Koraput district who were allegedly involved in the kidnapping of BJD MLA Jhina Hikaka.
The anti-Maoist forces deployed in Koraput, Rayagada and Malkangiri are also reported to be getting excellent co-operation from their counterparts in neighbouring Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh, which are equally afflicted by the problem of Maoist insurgency. “The co-operation and co-ordination between the two sides is much better than what we have seen in western Odisha districts,” said an officer engaged in the operation.
However, in the top echelons of state’s police hierarchy there is still some concern over the communication gap between the paramilitary forces deployed in Koraput and Malkangiri and the state police force. Sources said that in certain areas of Malkangiri, the district worst hit by Maoist insurgency, there was growing resentment among the state police jawans over being forced to play second fiddle to the sturdy BSF jawans, who have taken over their police stations.
