The outlawed CPI(Maoist), the insurgent communist group, has drawn maximum cadres from Chhattisgarh for violent activities in Odisha, said the State Police here on Sunday.
Top hierarchy of the Odisha Police, who briefed about the death of three Naxalites in Kalahandi district here, said the recruitment of the ultras had also dried up in Odisha over the past few years.
“In exchange of fire, three CPI(Maoist) cadres have been killed. Two .303 rifles, one .9 mm pistol, one 11 bore-gun, 50 rounds of live ammunitions and three kit bags were seized. The three woman cadres were in uniform and appeared to be from Chhattisgarh,” said K. B. Singh, Odisha’s Director General of Police.
According to police sources, the Special Operation Group, raised for anti-Naxal operations in Odisha, had an encounter with ultras in Sahajpur Reserve Forest along the Kalahandi-Nabarangpur district border on Saturday evening.
In four hours of operation, the SOG personnel had sprayed around 700 rounds of bullets on the CPI(Maoist) cadres, who had reportedly first fired upon the security forces. The cadres believed to be from Mainpur division had been camping in the reserve forest. The identity of the three deceased cadres could not be ascertained.
Sources said Karthik, secretary of Mainpur Division, was leading from the Naxalites’ side. Lalitha Bandhavi, a divisional secretary, was also present in the camp. While Karthik was carrying a reward of Rs.20 lakh on his head, a reward of Rs.5 lakh had been announced on Lalitha.
During the current year, security forces and the left wing extremists had confrontation on nine occasions, but Saturday’s retaliation by the SOG was said to be the biggest success.
“Of the total cadres operating in different districts, 15 per cent of the Left Wing Extremists (LWEs) hail from Odisha while 55 per cent belong to Chhattisgarh. Around 15 per cent of cadres are from Andhra Pradesh and Telengana, while LWEs from Maharashtra and Jharkhand constitute the rest 15 per cent,” Arun Sarangi, Special Director (Intelligence).
Odisha and Chhattisgarh share a long border. Border of Nuapada, Bargarh, Nabarangpur and Malkanagiri districts of Odisha are contiguous with Chhattisgarh. Taking advantage of dense forests and difficult terrain in bordering areas, the Maoists from Chhattisgarh easily infiltrate into Odisha. Soumendra Priyadarshi, Inspector General of Police (Operation), was also present at the briefing.
