In a wakeup call two days after the Maoist mayhem in Chhattisgarh that left 27 dead and 31 others injured, the Odisha Government on Monday directed the Superintendents of Police of all bordering districts to remain alert.
The directive came following a review of the State’s border security by the Home Department.
“We have asked the SPs and other senior officials of the bordering districts to be on alert,” Home Secretary Upendranath Behera said.
Besides, the Government has also decided to appraise afresh the MlAs and MPs of the State about the security guidelines they need to follow while traversing Maoists-infested areas. “They (MPs and MlAs) will be asked to strictly adhere to the security guidelines,” added Behera.
Of the State’s 30 districts, as many as 13 share borders with four neighbouring States.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday declared an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to next of kin of each of the two persons belonging to Nabrangpur district who were killed in the Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh.
The district administration was directed to disburse the amount on Monday itself.
The two daily wage-earners, Chandrasekhar Majhi and Prahllad Majhi of Bamuni village in Nabarangpur district, had gone to Chhattisgarah in search of jobs. They were killed while the truck in which they were travelling was caught in the Maoist firing line.