Maoist activity will decline in south Odisha, claims DGP

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Koraput, Aug 7:

Odisha Director General of Police (DGP) Sanjib Marik today claimed that the Maoist influence in south Odisha would substantially decline with the arrest of top Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda.

Briefing newsmen here after a meeting with the SPs of six south Odisha districts, he said the state police would intensify anti-Maoist operation in the vulnerable districts in coordination with the Central forces.

If required, the state police would raise the demand for  another battalion of security forces for deployment in Koraput, the DGP said.

“While the Maoists claim that they are working for the poor tribals, why are they opposed to the welfare programmes meant for the tribals ?” he asked.

In the coming days, the state police would cooperate with the state government in the implementation of its welfare programmes in these tribal dominated districts, Marik added.

Earlier in the day, Marik had a review meeting on anti-Maoists operation in south Odisha districts.

Among others, state Intelligence chief SK Roy, IG (south-western region) Yashwant Kumar Jethwa, IG (operation) Soumendra Priyadarshi, Koraput SP Awinash Kumar, Rayagada SP Rajesh Pandit, Malkangiri SP Akhileswar Singh, Nabarangpur SP Brajesh Kumar Ray, Kalahandi SP Sarthak Sarangi and Nuapada SP Uma Shankar Das were present at the meeting.