File picture of the late Maoist leader Kishan speaking to mediapersons in Bengal

Bhubaneswar, Nov. 25: Galvanised by reports of ace Maoist commander Kishan’s death in an encounter in Bengal, security forces in Odisha have stepped up their offensive against rebels operating here.

The focus of the operation is on flushing out the rebels hiding in forests along Odisha’s borders with Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh. Intensive combing is also underway in the interior areas of Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar districts close to the Bengal border.

“We are keeping a watch on areas such as Sundergarh, Rourkela and Keonjhar,” said Yashwant Jethwa, DIG, Western Range, adding that the movement of the rebels in the Saranda forests along the Jharkhand border would also be monitored.

Sources said that by upping the ante at this juncture, the security forces were following the policy of hitting the iron when it is red hot. “The news of Kishan’s death must have hit the morale of the Maoists and caused disarray in their ranks. This is the right time to launch a decisive strike against them,” said a senior police officer engaged in the anti-Naxalite operation.

A source also said the loss of Kishan would be felt in Odisha in a big way as he used to frequent areas such as Mayurbhanj, Sambalpur and Sundergarh, guiding the local leaders and conducting camps for fresh recruits. He is believed to have had a narrow escape in February this year when the police busted a Maoist camp in the Saranda forests arresting three ex-Ulfa cadres who were imparting arms training to the cadres.

He is also said to have planned the abduction of former Malkangiri collector R. Vineel Krishna who was spirited away by a group of Maoists while on a visit to one of the most inaccessible villages in the district. With Krishna in their custody, the Maoist leadership practically brought the Odisha government to its knees forcing it not only to suspend all operations against them in Odisha but also agree to some of their other terms. Sources said the entire operation, including the negotiations with the Odisha government was orchestrated by Kishan.

The Odisha government is working in close coordination with the governments of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh as rebels from across the border frequently take shelter in Odisha. The Saranda forests on Odisha-Jharkhand border happen to be one of the most sought after hideouts of the Maoists who have strong bases on both sides of the border.

“When the heat is on them in Jharkhand, they cross over to this side and take shelter in cities such as Rourkela, Birmitrapur and Rajgangpur. Our intelligence suggests that Rourkela is one of the most sensitive places as far as Maoist operations are concerned,” said an officer.