Man detained over suspected Naxal links is a labourer: Central Range IG

Khurda: A man who was handed over to police on suspicion of having links with Maoists in Deuli area of Khurda district here on Wednesday turned out to be a labourer, informed Central Range IG Soumendra Priyadarshi today.

IG Priyadarshi confirmed that the detained person's name is Suresh Panharia, a resident of Boden block in Nuapada district who worked as a labourer at a brick-kiln in Andhra Pradesh.

According to police sources, Suresh along with two of his colleagues fled from Andhra Pradesh over some debt issues and had been hiding inside Gajamundia forest near Khurda for past few days.

Yesterday, locals of Deuli area detained Suresh while he was buying ration items including flattened rice (chuda), biscuit and other dry food items from shops.

Based on his accent, locals suspected him of supplying the food items to left wing extremists and handed him to the police.

Based on information from Suresh, a joint team of Odisha Police & Special Operation Group (SOG) launched a search operation and recovered cooking items from Gajamundia forest.

Police sources said that while Suresh has been detained, his two other colleagues who were also hiding inside the forest are absconding. An investigation is currently underway to catch the other persons.