Thousands of villagers from six panchayats of Malkangiri district participated in a Maoist-organised congregation on Saturday night.
According to reports, Jantri village under Andrapalli panchayat in the cutoff region of the district witnessed the massive assembly as people in large numbers turned up at the venue.
Maoists used a Government launch and two motorised boats to transport the villagers to the cutoff region. The Reds asked the people to boycott the panchayat elections due early next year. Malkangiri Superintendent of Police Mitrabhanu Mohapatra said, “Maoists of Andhra Odisha Border Divisional Committee convened a meeting at Jantri village under Andrapalli panchayat last night. The ultras had forcefully brought villagers from six panchayats terming it as an anti-police meeting. They had ferried the villagers with the help of a Government-owned launch and boats.”
As the Maoists are losing ground in the district and many of them have been surrendering to join the mainstream, they conducted this meeting as a last-ditch measure to boost their morale, the SP said, adding that they are instigating people to join Maoist movement.
“It is our request to the people not to get carried away by the (Maoists’) false propaganda, he said.”
The Red rebels invited people to join them so as to strengthen the Maoist movement. They also urged people to oppose the setting up of BSF camps, anti-Maoist operations and not to lay down arms.