Bhubaneswar, April 28: Roads wore a deserted look and shops downed shutters in several areas of Malkangiri today as a Maoist-enforced bandh hit normal life in the district considered to be a rebel stronghold.

The rebels called for the shutdown to protest against the killing of a woman Maoist by the security forces in Tentulipadar forests of the district on Sunday. Moreover, they accused the Orissa government of going back on the 14-point agreement which had paved way for the release of abducted Malkangiri collector R. Vineel Krishna and demanded immediate halt to all police operations against them as well as release of the arrested Maoists.

Both private and commercial vehicles had stayed off roads in Kalimela and Motu areas fearing attacks. Even buses did not ply between Malkangiri town and Kalimela as the rebels had blocked roads at several places by placing boulders and felling trees. According to sources, movement of vehicles between Malkangiri and Jeypore in Koraput district was also affected due to the bandh.

The rebels pasted posters in several parts of the district accusing the government of violating the 14-point agreement and demanding cessation of all anti-rebel operations and release of over 600 tribals languishing in jails for alleged links with the Maoists. The posters warned the government of dire consequences if it did not concede the rebels’ demands.

Police officers said that the bandh was a sign of growing desperation among the Maoists who had been under pressure following a stepped up operation against them by the security forces.

“During the last two months, many Maoists have been arrested while some have given up arms. With attrition having set in their ranks, the rebels are feeling threatened,” said an officer.

That pressure is telling upon the rebels became obvious on Wednesday when Susheela alias Pushpa, wife of jailed Maoist Chhenda Bhushan alias Ghasi and commander of the CPI(Maoist), Koraput division militia group, surrendered before DIG (southern range), Soumendra Priyadarshi.

A native of Andhra Pradesh, Pushpa, who was involved in several violent incidents in Orissa, revealed that most of her comrades had ditched her following the arrest of her husband. Ghasi was a senior member of the Andhra Orissa Border Special Zone Committee (AOBSZC) of CPI(Maoist) and wanted in more than 200 criminal cases, including 65 murders in Andhra and Orissa. He carried a reward of Rs 10 lakh on his head in Andhra Pradesh.

Lodged in the Koraput jail, Ghasi was a prize catch for the police as he had a hand in almost all the violent activities of the Maoists in Malkangiri and Koraput. He was the second important Maoist leader after Shatrughna Biswal, a rebel commander from western Orissa, to have been arrested by the security forces since the release of Krishna.