The pressure of security forces in the neighbouring States has unnerved the top Maoist cadres who are attempting all options to sneak into Odisha through areas where they feel there is security vacuum.
Top police officials say Maoists are trying new routes and weak zone on States border in the wake of pressure on them from the security forces of neighbouring States.
There are areas where deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) is lacking and the ultras are trying to sneak to those areas. That is why the State Government is repeatedly asking the Union Government for two more battalions of CAPF to cover the vacuum.
According to them, the Maoists faced serious setbacks in the past two years as the alert security forces are foiling their attempts to sneak in and cause any damage. More arrests and deaths of ultras in encounters coupled with large scale surrender of sympathizers before the police have virtually led to the termination of Maoist divisions.
With an alert Odisha police and presence of 16 CAPF, districts like Jajpur, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Subarnapur and Gajapati are free from the clutches of the ultras.
Similarly, Maoist activities in Mayurbhanj, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Nabarangpur and Nayagarh are on the wane, though a few incidents have been reported in Rourkela, Angul, Rayagada, Balangir, Boudh and Bargarh districts, the sources said.
In the light of improved situation, the State Government has impressed upon the Union Government to delete three districts, where there are no activities of ultras, from the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) list and include four new districts, where the Maoists are trying to organise themselves.
According to intelligence reports, the Central Committee leaders are trying to explore ways to sneak into Odisha to reorganise local cadres who have been 'demoralised due to repeated failures, police sources said.
The death of several top Maoist leaders, including Sunadhar and Janaki, has become a major setback for the ultras in Odisha who are under stiff pressure of CAPF in neighbouring Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.
While more and more districts are slipping out of their grip, many Maoist divisions are becoming defunct, the sources said.
According to the sources, Kalinga Nagar Division (KND), which was hyperactive some time ago, has virtually become defunct now and the effort of the ultras was to keep their divisions active in mineral rich Jajpur and Keonjhar districts.
On Sunday, a KND secretary and his wife were killed in an encounter with security forces.
The security force pressure has also stalled the efforts of senior cadres from Chhattisgarh to infiltrate into the State and reorganize their set ups.
Similarly, the lWE cadres, earlier active in Mayurbhanj and neighbouring East Singbhum, are also on the run as their support base was eroding fast.
While they were eyeing Similipal and adjoin deep forests for cover, presence of CRPF and district police has dampened their spirits, the sources said.
Though situation in Kalahandi, Koraput and Malkangiri districts are serious to some extent, large presence of BSF and CRPF and highly motivated district police has curbed their activities, feel security experts.