Centre to talk anti-Maoist ops with Odisha, 3 other states

Sambad English Bureau Published On : Feb 9, 2015 at 6:01 PM Updated On : Feb 9, 2015 at 7:48 PM

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Feb 9:

In the first such intiative, the Centre will have a meeting with four states, including Odisha, today to a chalk out an integrated action plan to flush out Mapoists from their stronghold in three districts of Chhattisgarh: Sukma, Dantewada and Bijapur.

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Sources said the Union Home ministry will have a discussion with the chief secretaries and directors general of police (DGPs) of Odisha, Maharashtra, Telengana and Chhattisgarh.

The meeting would be presided over by Union Home minister Rajnath Singh.

Reliable sources said the operation would begin from Sukma district of Chhattisgarh, where 14 CRPF jawans were killed in Maoist attack in December last year, to be followed by Dantewada and Bijapur districts.

Odisha, Maharashtra and Telengana governments would provide adequate cooperation support to the operation, which will be led by the Chhattisgarh government, the sources said.

The Centre will provide adequate Central para-military forces for the special operation.

The meeting will have a discussion on the report of the high-level committee which was formed by the Centre after the killing of 14 CRPF jawans in Sukma district last year.

Apart from this, the Odisha government’s demand for two additional CRPF battalions might also come up for discussion.

“We will request the Centre to provide at least three additional battalions of central paramilitary forces. Besides, we also need an MI 17 helicopter, which Chhattisgarh and other states have, for more effective operation,” DGP Sanjiv Marik said.

It may be mentioned that chief minister Naveen Patnaik, in a letter to Union Home minister on February 2, had demanded deployment of two additional CRPF battalions in the state.

In the letter, Patnaik had stated that while the Maoists are active in Malkangiri, Koraput and Nuapada districts, there is every possibility of cross-border infiltration of the red rebels to these districts if more Central forces are deployed in Chhattisgarh.