CMAS had organised a meeting at Kumbhariput attended by activists with their traditional weapons on Sunday after which the Sangha occupied over 30 acres of non-tribal land in the area by putting red-flags around it, police said today.
Sangha activists also ploughed the occupied land claiming it to be their own which non-tribals had taken away by deceit, they said.
When contacted, senior district administration officials said the matter was being looked into. "These lands belong to us which the non-tribals had taken by deceit from our forefathers. We have occupied these lands and have started ploughing," said a CMAS activist who had attended the Sangha meeting.
Since 2009, the Sangh has forcibly occupied over 3,000 acres of non-tribal lands in the area citing it to be their own. Sources said non-tribals of the area are panicked over the recent development.
Meanwhile, the Koraput-Srikakulam division of the outlawed CPI (Maoist), which had abducted Laxmipur MLA Jhina Hikaka on March 24, has given a bandh call on Wednesday in protest against anti-Naxalite operations in the area.
Maoist leader Daya identifying himself as the secretary of the Red outfit has sent letters to mediapersons in Koraput to this regard. "We demand stoppage of operation Green Hunt, withdrawal of central forces from the area and release of all political prisoners lodged in the different jails of Koraput and Malkangiri districts," the Maoist letter reads. The Maoists have also opposed the proposed National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC).
Police said the Maoists have called for bandh in protest against the recently launched combing operations in the area and all necessary security measures will be taken to maintain peace. "We are keeping a close watch on the developments and security men have been kept on high alert to face any untoward incident," said SDPO Y Jagannath Rao.