CRPF DG meets CM Naveen to plan anti-Maoist strategies

Bhubaneswar: The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Odisha police will chalk out new strategy to counter Maoists' plans of creating corridor linking Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra. CRPF DG Rajiv Bhatnagar said this after a courtesy meeting with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here today.

Bhatnagar said Maoists are formulating strategies to challenge security forces and attempting to halt various development works in border areas. The CRPF is making elaborated arrangements to counter their plan.

The CRPF DG visited the state for the first time after taking charge in April. Earlier on Sunday, Bhatnagar, along with the Odisha police visited several areas in Koraput and reviewed situation in cut-off areas.

“The CRPF and the Odisha police have tremendous cooperation. The CRPF ensures that infrastructure and other needs of the state are fulfilled. We are working on a comprehensive strategy to address peculiar issues like the Maoists' plans of creating corridors and hampering various development works,” Bhatnagar said.

DGP KB Singh said, “The CRPF DG and Odisha Police paid a visit to Koraput and the Cobra Battalion and reviewed the naxal scenario in Odisha. We also discussed on redeployment of paramilitary forces with a change in strategy in certain corridors and areas like Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Malkangiri and Koraput.”