On new job: R. Vineel Krishna

Bhubaneswar, April 30: With the shifting of Malkangiri collector R. Vineel Krishna, who has been posted as director, scheduled caste and scheduled tribe development, the stage is set for an all-out offensive against the Maoists with the security forces likely to specifically target the Red bastions in southern Orissa.

The collector, who has been maintaining a low profile since his release from Maoist captivity on February 25, was being seen as an obstacle to the government’s plans to flush out the rebels from their hideouts in districts such as Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada and Gajpati as he had become a marked man. Highly placed sources with the Maoists accused the government of going back on the 14-point agreement, which had paved the way for Krishna’s release, said there was every possibility of him being targeted again.

“With Krishna out of Malkangiri, the strongest Maoist citadel in the state, the government is now much better placed to tackle the Red menace not just in that district but also in the adjoining districts of Koraput and Rayagada. In fact, the operation in all the southern districts where the rebels are now active can be intensified,” said a senior official.

Sources said that while the government has already drawn plans to step up the anti-Maoist operation in southern Orissa by ensuring better coordination between the state police and the Border Security Forces (BSF) deployed in districts such as Malkangiri and Koraput, a renewed offensive against the rebels in the western part of the state with focus on districts like Sundergarh, Sambalpur and Deogarh is also expected. “We are also thinking of stepping up our vigil in Balangir, Bargarh and Kalahandi as we have intelligence inputs about rebels trying to get a foothold in these areas. Similarly, the coming days will see intensified combing by the security forces in Jajpur, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj where the Maoists have become quite active,” said a senior police officer.

Exuding confidence about the success of the operation against the Maoists, officials said that the morale of the security forces was at an all-time high following the arrest of some top rebel leaders in the last two months. While Maoist commander from western Orissa Shatrughna Biswal was the first to fall into the police net in March, the men in khaki had another big success earlier this month when they arrested Maoist Andhra-Orissa zonal committee member Chhenda Bhushan alias Ghasi from Semiliguda area in Koraput district. Later’s Ghasi’s wife also surrendered.

“Our men are in high spirits and the time is right to step up pressure on the rebels. If we don’t do it now we will never be able to do it,” said the officer.