Amid the reports of proposed launching of major anti-Maoist operations in Odisha following the successful encounter in Malkangiri recently, senior Security Advisor of Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) K Vijaya Kumar on Saturdayvisited that State reportedly to formulate strategies to take on the ultras.
Kumar called on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the State Secretariat here and hailed the recent joint operation by Andhra Pradesh and Odisha police, in which 30 Maoists were killed, as one of the finest anti-Red rebel operations.
Kumar said the number of Maoists in Malkangiri district has drastically come down due to regular combing operations by the Central forces and the Odisha police.
However, he told reporters that he made a courtesy visit as he had not come to Odisha for six long months.
Kumar hailed the recent joint operation and termed it as a very good sign of close coordination between the two neighbouring States in flushing out the leftwing ultras.
Stating that Malkangiri district is a very difficult geographical area, he said as the number of Maoists in this district has substantially reduced, the ultras operating in Odisha have combined with the Maoist outfit of Andhra Pradesh as their strength is gradually coming down.
Talking about the allegations of the Maoists, Kumar said whenever our forces are successful in anti-Maoist operations, the Maoists usually come up with release to the media maintaining that the operations were stage-managed and deliberate encounter.
Asked about the Gurupriya bridge in the cutoff area of Chitrakonda, Kumar said he would take up the issue with the MHA for its early completion.
Official sources said Kumar is scheduled to have a meeting with the CRPF and Odisha State Armed Police (OSAP) personnel to review the Maoist activities and anti-Maoist operations in the state. Meanwhile, Director General, CRPF, K Durga Prasad is scheduled to arrive in the State later in the day.
Since ultras are creating a new corridor from Chhattisgarh to Odisha through the central and western regions covering Nuapada-Kalahandi-Balangir-Boudh-Angul, Kumar said the State’s demand to provide two more CRPF battalions for deployment on border zones would be taken up with the ‘right quarters’.