Need to relocate forces in Naxal-hit areas: DG

Bhubaneswar: In a bid to tackle Naxalism in Odisha in a more effective and efficient manner, forces will be redeployed based on intelligence inputs, director-general (DG) of police Sanjib Marik said here today.

At a meeting between the State police and Border Security Force (BSF), Marik and the force’s additional DG K.K. Sharma along with other senior officials took stock of anti-Maoist operations in the State and decided that forces will be relocated to areas where Maoists are active from less sensitive areas.

The main focus of the meeting was to develop strategies based on inputs provided by various intelligence agencies to redeploy forces in key areas, said Marik.

Highlighting the role of State intelligence in fighting the Naxal menace, Marik said, “Based on our own intelligence, we are in a better position to take decisions on allocation of forces for better control of Left wing extremism and monitor anti-Maoist operations.”

Inspector-general (IG) of police (Operations) Soumendra Priyadarshi and BSF IG were also present at the meeting.

Recently, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) DG Prakash Mishra also visited the State to take stock of the progress made in curbing Maoist menace. He revealed that forces would be removed from less sensitive areas and deployed in regions where Maoists are more active.

“Maoist activities have come down considerably in districts like Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Ganjam. But the threat has increased alarmingly in regions like Sunabeda and Nuapada in the recent past. We need to redeploy forces in these areas by relocating them from less sensitive regions,” Mishra told mediapersons.

Since the Left wing extremists keep on changing their plans to slip under the intelligence radar, strategic rethinking is needed to curb Maoist menace, he pointed out.