Maoists have no local support in South-west Odisha: DGP

Bhawanipatna: Director General of Police (DGP) KB Singh on Saturday claimed that the Maoists have no support among local people especially in South-west Odisha.

“Maoists activity in Odisha particularly in Kalahandi, Nuapada, Nabarangpur and Balangir districts is negligible due to constant monitoring, surveillance and combing operation by the police. Police is keeping tabs on the handful of ultras who are active in these areas. As far as I know, the Maoists have no support among local people in these districts,” Singh told media persons after conducting a review meeting on the Maoist situation in these four districts during his one-day visit to Kalahandi district.

Justifying his contention, the DGP said while 85 percent of Maoists are active in the neighbouring states of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, while only 15 percent of them are presently active in Odisha.

The state police has deployed CRPF and SOG personnel with additional deployment of SOG personnel to effectively counter the left wing menace in these four districts, he said.

“To flush out the Red Rebels from these areas, regular combing operations are underway while the intelligence network has been broadened to monitor their activities,” he added.

The DGP also said the priority of the police is to further strengthen its security network and to step up operations against the Maoists to safeguard the lives of the people. “Apart from this, efforts are on for development in these areas,” he observed.

To a question on the arrest of former Congress MLA of Sanakhemundi, Ramesh Jena, Singh told the media persons not to mix up crime with politics.

The meeting was attended by Sunil Roy, Director-cum-ADG, Intelligence, Arun Sarangi, Special Director and ADG, Intelligence, Santosh Upadhyay, ADG, OHRC, DS Kutey, IGP, Intelligence and Superintendents of Police of Kalahandi, Nuapada, Nabaranpur and Balangir.