In last two months, the Rourkela police have ensured surrender of a record 18 Maoists, including some female cadres, in five phases. Many of them were carrying cash award on their heads.
Sources said they ran away from the camp being humiliated by their seniors before finally giving in. While police are confident to curb the Maoists activities in the area since the left Wing extremist group is losing its ground in the Saranda forest and many cadres have already left and many more would be joining in main stream soon.
But on other side, without any fresh recruitment in the Saranda jungle surrounding villages, the Maoist leaders are desperate to use border pockets of Sundargarh district for hideouts. Simultaneously, a push for a membership drive is apprehended. Reliable sources said in the second and third weeks of September last, 30 to 32 armed operatives of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) outfit unsuccessfully held meetings at vulnerable border pockets under Chandiposh and lathikata police limits to rebuild rapport with tribal villagers.
The Maoists in a change of strategy are desperately trying to convince gullible villagers that past mistakes would not be repeated. Despite frequent movements, the Maoists have not been able to taste much success in regaining strength in Sundargarh side of the border due to continuing pressure by the Rourkela district police.
In Sundargarh forest border stretching from Bisra to Topadihi of Bonai sub-division, besides a vast stretch of adjacent Keonjhar district, are infested by the outfit’s Saranda-based Dakshin Chhota Nagpur Zonal Committee. Another Maoist group owing allegiance to Sambalpur-Deogarh-Sundargarh committee is reportedly frequenting places under remote Gurundia police limits in Sundargarh along with Sambalpur and Deogarh districts, said sources.
For more than two and a half years, Maoist movement, originating from Saranda - the erstwhile Eastern Regional Bureau (ERB) of the outfit - has touched all time low. The reasons are attributed to combined effects of heavy deployment of both Jharkhand and Odisha police and CRPF, non-cooperation from sympathizers and radical drop in levy collection due to prolonged closures of mines along Odisha-Jharkhand border.
A senior police officer said the left Wing Extremists (lWEs) will face extra pressure ahead with arrival of more forces for the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly election, while Rourkela and Keonjhar districts police with continuing area domination operation are allowing no room to the lWEs to operate from fixed areas. Despite this, it is learnt from reliable sources that for last many days the Assam area Maoists leaders have been holding group meetings with the villagers, especially youth of different areas of Gurundia and adjoining Rajgangpur Block, asking them to join in their camp.
And 43 tribal youths of Gurundia block have agreed to join in Maoist activities. Sources said they would be used as Maoists’ informers by engaging them in the job of drivers to watch the movement of the cops.
They also threatened the villagers of dire consequences if they inform about their presence to the police. Inspector General of Police (Western Range) RK Sharma said police of Rourkela and Keonjhar districts are working in close coordination with their Jharkhand counterparts, besides Deogarh and Sambalpur, to further tighten the loop on the Maoists.
He further said the Maoist outfit, having drifted from its ideology, is rapidly losing base with no fresh recruitment, while a sizeable section of the ultras is increasingly inclined to join the mainstream keeping faith on the various rehabilitation schemes of the Government.