Koraput: Maoists have protested against the alleged attempt by both the state and Union governments to lease out the Niyamgiri range of hills to a private company for bauxite mining.

The Baghuna divisional committee of the CPI(Maoist) has put up posters on the walls of a temple at Kalyansinghpur in Rayagada district.

Police seized the posters on Thursday.

"The state and Centre are both trying to suppress the Save Niyamgiri campaign and hand over the Niyamgiri hill to a private company for mining. We urge people not to get misguided by the false promises made by the government and to intensify the fight to save Niyamgiri in coming days," reads a Maoist poster.

The Maoists have also alleged that police were luring the innocent tribals by providing mobile phones and money to raise voice against the people's movement.

"Don't work against your own community by becoming the agent of the company," reads another poster.

The Maoists have also targeted the superintendent of police of Rayagada and Kalahandi districts for "trying to lure the tribals to work in favour of the company".

However, the police have dismissed the allegations of the Maoists as baseless.

"We don't lure anyone to become an agent. The allegations are false. As the Maoists are loosing their support base because of intensive combing operations in Niyamgiri area, they are levelling such baseless allegations out of frustration," said DIG (south-western range) Asish Singh.

He said that counter-insurgency operations had been intensified in the district. "All precautionary measures have been taken to thwart any possible eventuality. Till now, no violence has been reported during the Martyrs' Week," Singh said.