Chhattisgarh Naxal attack; High alert sounded in 2 more Odisha districts

The Odisha government is on high alert following the deadly IED blast by Maoists on Aranpur road in Chhattisgarh in which 10 District Reserve Guard (DRG) personnel and a civilian driver were killed on April 26.

On Tuesday, senior Odisha Police officials informed that the alert has been extended to two more districts bordering Chhattisgarh. ADG (Operations) Amitabh Thakur said that the alert has been sounded in Bargarh and Kalahandi districts as well.

Earlier, three districts- Nabarangpur, Malkangiri and Nuapada were put on high alert following the Chhattisgarh naxal ambush.

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“It has been observed that around 90 per cent of the Maoists come to Odisha from Chhattisgarh. Our focus has always been on ensuring that the ingress of Maoists is checked. Alert has been issued for the bordering districts of Nabarangpur, Malkangiri, Nuapada, Bargarh and Kalahandi,” said Thakur.

Thakur said already the Odisha DGP has instructed concerned officials to intensify area dominance exercises which is currently underway.

On reports of sexual abuse and exploitation of Maoist cadres, Thakur said that such stories of torture and exploitation are revealed by the surrendered ultras.

“We have heard that such kind of exploitation is rampant in the Maoist camp. However, our efforts are to bring back the red rebels to the mainstream as Odisha’s surrender and rehabilitation policy is the best,” Thakur added.