Southern Range Inspector General of Police (IGP), Satyabrata Bhoi on Tuesday assured the people living in the Red corridors of the State to not get intimidated by the poll boycott call given by the Maoists.
Asserting dominance of security forces over the ultras, Bhoi said that the Maoists will not be allowed to disrupt the Panchayat polls in any manner and the people should not be scared of their poll boycott call.
“They are already on the back foot due to continuous anti-Maoist operations launched by the Odisha Police. They are finding it really difficult to gather any support from the locals and tribals,” Bhoi said.
Assuring the residents, Bhoi said, “People need not fear. The police are always with them to protect. We are extra cautious for the Panchayat Polls, so the people should come out to vote in a large numbers.”
It is pertinent to mention here that the Naxal insurgents had set afire two road construction machineries in Kiamunda village under the jurisdiction of Phiringia Police station in Kandhamal district on Monday night in protest against the conduct of the three-tier Panchayat elections in the state.
As the Odisha heads for the three-tier rural body polls this month, the Left Wing Extremists (LWEs) operating in the southern and western parts of the State have stepped up violence and threatened the locals to boycott the polls.