A team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) will visit Odisha soon to continue its probe into the May 25 Chhattisgarh Maoist ambush killing at least 28 people, including Chhattisgarh Congress chief Nand Kumar Patel and veteran leader Mahendra Karma and leaving 37 others injured.
Sources said the team would quiz the two hardcore Maoists who were arrested on Monday in Malkangiri by District Voluntary Force (DVF) personnel on suspicion of their involvement in the attack at Darbha in Chhattisgarh.
Meanwhile, during interrogation, the arrested ultras Kasa Madhi and Ura Madhi of the Katamateru area of the district have revealed before the Malkangiri police that a blueprint was chalked out months ago to materialise the Darbha attack. “Our party called us to attend something in Darbha… For three days we were imparted training at Tirkipali,” Kasa Madhi said.
Malkangiri Anti-Maoist Cell SI Abinash Reddy said, “Around 200 ultras, including 35 from Malkangiri were divided into four groups to participate in the attack. Prior to the massacre, the Malkangiri group with other Maoists was given training at Tirkipalli in Chhattisgarh by some top Maoist leaders for three days."
The Maoists also divulged that after the Chhattisgarh mayhen the Odihsa group returned to the State.
OSRTC to ply in 9 Naxal-hit blocks
PHUlBANI: In a bid to provide road communication to nine Maoist-hit blocks in Kandhamal district, the Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) has decided to open a unit at Baliguda.
The people in the Maoist-hit blocks like Daringbadi, Kotagarh, Tumudibandha, Raikia and Chakapad would be benefited, said Sub-Collector Prem Chand Chowdhury.
The district administration has allowed the OSRTC authorities to set up a ticket counter and a garage in the existing bus-stand to daily operate at least 18 buses in the nine blocks under Balliguda sub-division in daytime.
This apart, OSRTC buses would connect Brahmapur, Bhubaneswar, Sambalpur, Badamba, Khariar, Bhawanipatna, Parlakhemundi, Bhanjanagar particularly in nighttime.
The Baliguda unit would operate under the Brahmapur OSRTC division.