South Orissa puts on high alert after Maoists threat letter to police

By Anurjay Dhal

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Last updated: 06/11/2008 10:13:49

Bhubaneswar (Orissa): The entire South Orissa on Wednesday put on high alert following a threat issued by the outlawed CPI (Maoists) to blow up several police establishments in Southern Police Range comprising districts Berhampur, Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal and Boudh.

The letter assumes significance in the wake of killing of several political leaders mostly belonging to the ruling Biju Janata Dal in Koraput and Malkangiri districts under the South-Western Police range having headquarters at Sunabeda.

An inland letter written in Oriya was received at Bhanjanagar police station in Ganjam district through post. The letter was posted from Saranakula in Nayagarh district and praised the activities of the leftwing guerrillas' outfit, a top Intelligence official revealed here.

The letter has targeted the police and the forest personnel, he added. "We have apprised the matter to the concerned authorities,'' he said, but expressed doubts as to whether the letter was sent by the Maoists. "Some one is likely to dispatch the letter to make mischief", he apprehended.

DIG, South Police Range , RP Koche, Ganjam SP Nitinjit Singh, Berhampur SP S Devadutta Singh and Kandhamal SP Nikhil Kanodia, however, refused to comment on the letter. Sources said police were put on alert in the border areas of Kandhamal and Nayagarh districts. Additional forces were deployed in Bhanjanagar and Surada police stations.

While at least two platoons of police forces deployed at Bhanjanagar, one company of Central Reserve Police was deployed at Surada. Police were conducting combing operations at Bhanajanagar after the recent Maoist strike in Nayagarh.

The Maoists had gunned down at least 13 police personnel and looted huge quantities of arms and ammunition on February 15 at Nayagarh. Gosama hilltop bordering southern districts of Ganjam and Kandhamal, some 300 kilometers southwest of State Capital of Bhubaneswar was in news following the red mayhem in Nayagarh.

Meanwhile, senior cops also fear that if primitive action was not taken it would be difficult task for the security forces to control the increase of extremism in Phulabani and Kandhamal, "If things are not checked at this juncture, the district would soon take the place of Chattisgarh's Bastar district," says a senior police official quoting in condition of anonymity.

Phulbani surrounded by dense jungles from all sides Deogarh, Gajapati, Rayagada, Nayagarh and Ganjam.

The difficult terrains of Kandhamal bordering four the leftwing ultras stronghold districts except Nayagarh have come in handy for the ultras to strengthen their base over the past two years. Kandhamal has porous borders at Adaba in Gajapati, Gunupur in Rayagada, Soroda in Ganjam and from all corners of Deogarh district.