State cops restart anti-Red operations
BHUBANESWAR: Breathing easy after the twin hostage crisis ended with legislator Jhina Hikaka's release on Thursday, police on Friday raided a camp belonging to the Sabyasachi Panda faction of CPI (Maoist) in Ganjam district's Sorada area.
Securitymen engaged in an encounter with the Panda-led Odisha State Organizing Committee, a day after Maoists freed Hikaka at Balipeta in Koraput district's Narayanpatna area. Two women rebels had engaged some locals to carry a generator and rice bags when police swooped on them, police sources said, adding, exchange of fire took place close to the Maoist camp. "We are not sure about casualty or injury to the extremists, but we have seized the generator and some other items," a police officer said.
Police bosses said they are planning to mount an all-out offensive against Maoists, especially in Koraput and Kandhamal districts where the Red rebels had resorted to high-profile kidnappings. Police sources said they lost valuable time due to the hostage drama in Kandhamal, where the Panda group had abducted two Italians, Claudio Colangelo and Bosusco Paolo, on March 14, and Narayanpatna area of Koraput, from where the Andhra-Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC) had taken Hikaka hostage on March 23 night. "With the hostages having walked out of Maoist clutches, we are going to step up operations to quell extremist activities," a senior cop said.
DGP Manmohan Praharaj was tightlipped on the issue, saying, "We will do whatever best we can under the circumstances."
Security personnel were lying low since mid-March following the abduction of the foreigners, with the central para-military forces forced to remain inside their camps most of the time. "Patrolling and combing operations would now be intensified," a police source said, adding, "While the heat is being turned on Panda and his followers, it would some time to clear land mines planted by extremists in and around Narayanpatna and Bandhugaon areas before offensives are launched against AOBSZC and their affiliates," a police officer disclosed.
Sources said police in Kandhamal had since the past few days resumed their operations, compelling the Panda group to move to parts of Sorada in Ganjam. Security bosses said during the past few months they had succeeded in jolting the Maoist movement in the state by arresting hardcore Maoists such as Duna Keshava Rao alias Azad, Girish Mahato, Cheda Bhusanam alias Ghasi, Shatrugna Biswal alias Mangu. Besides, extremists considered close to Panda such as Prakash Behera and his wife Sabitra Biswal, Toofan Sahu, Rita and Sangeet Pradhan surrendered to police. "We had gained the upper hand. But with the hostage crisis they demoralized the forces and also arm-twisted the government to announce release of 27 of their jailed people. We have to regain the psychological edge by successfully undertaking some offensives against them," a cop explained.
Police sources said the period between January and May are suitable for launching operations as the trees shed leaves in the forests and the water sources dry up. Consequently, the guerillas have limited areas to move around and can be found close to big water bodies. "The hostage crisis had put us on the defensive, but from now on we will strive hard to make up for lost time," the cop added.
