Week-long bandh called by Maoist begins

Malkangiri/Koraput: Outlawed outfit CPI-Maoist has asked people to observe protest week in Malkangiri and Koraput districts from today against ‘fake encounter’ on the Andhra-Odisha border. The Left wing extremists have also called for observance of the protest week in Vishakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh.

Security has been tightened in these two districts following the bandh call. Sources said personnel of Special Operations Group, District Voluntary and Border Security Force have intensified their combing operations in the Maoist-affected areas. Similarly, the security personnel have intensified their checking of vehicles in Gajapati district last night.

Meanwhile, BSF IG P.S. Sandhu have visited Malkangiri district to review the anti-Maoist operation. A release from the outfit’s secretary of Malkangiri-Visakha-Koraput divisional committee Venu alleged that the government’s decision to set up police camps and outposts in the area and its tactics of making ‘illegal’ arrests and inducing ‘fake surrenders’ are aimed at repressing the tribals of the region. He claimed the governments of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha are letting loose terror on the tribal people in the name of development.