Maoist plot to attack western Odisha soft targets revealed

Bishram alias Sudhir Bhuiyan, 24 and Habil Horo, 23 belonging to the West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand and accused in several murder cases, were arrested from Saranda forest bordering Odisha and Jharkhand in the small hours today.

Their interrogation revealed that the Maoists were planning to attack "soft targets" like security forces camps, training centres and the like in Western Odisha, DIG (Western Range) Yaswant Jethwa said.

"We have sounded alert to RPF, CISF camps and other installations," Jethwa said adding that the forces have started joint operation in various areas to thwart any such incident.

"As per the plan of the Maoists` Saranda platoon, about 100 cadres with help from other areas could strike any place in the region," he said.

The arrest was vital as they revealed the Maoist plan on co-ordination among the cadres of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha to strengthen the sagging confidence of the outlawed organisation, Jethwa said.

They were nabbed at around 2 am at Lungra Ghati under K.Balang police station by a joint team of CRPF and the district volunteer force following a tip off.

Bhuiyan and Horo were accused in the killing of Ajit Bardhan, a sub-inspector of police in 2009, and former woman Maoist Kandri Lohar and her four-year-old son last year. Lohar had left the CPI(Maoist) and joined the police as home guard.

They were also allegedly involved in looting Rs 49 lakh from a vehicle on August 6, 2010.

Jethwa said the arrested two were under the active command of Anmol, who coordinated movement of naxal cadre in Odisha part of Saranda forest.

"Anmol, Sandeep of Deogarh division, and Kunu Dehury, who is heading Sambalpur along with Abhaya and Ajaya from Saranda platoon of guerrilla division of the Maoists, came together and have made a plan to strike soft targets in this part of the state," the DIG said.

Police in all the neighbouring districts like Deogarh, Sambalpur, Angul and Keonjhar have been informed about the possibility of an attack, police sources said.

The police have seized one double barrel country made pistol and ammunition from them.