Security up for Reds bandh tomorrow

BERHAMPUR: Security has been tightened in Maoist-affected southern Odisha districts, including Kandhamal, Boudh and Gajapati, as the outlawed CPI (Maoist) has called bandh on Thursday in five states, including Odisha.
Maoist central committee called the bandh in protest against the recent Malkanagiri encounter, where 28 Left-wing extremists, including several senior leaders, were killed.Besides Odisha, the ultras have called bandh in Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Chhattisgarh and Maharastra.
While combing operation has been intensified in the Maoist-hit areas, checking of the vehicles has also started. Police are keeping strict vigil on movement of suspicious persons, said a senior police officer.
"We have alerted the anti-Maoist camps and forces about the development while engaging all CRPF units in the combing operation," said SP (Kandhamal) Pinak Mishra. As many as nine companies of the CRPF are deployed in Kandhamal district. Besides, personnel of Special Operation Group and District Voluntary Forces have also been deployed, he said.
Similarly in Gajapati district, combing operation and patrolling have been intensified in vulnerable areas. Checking of vehicles has started, said SP (Gajapati) Sushil Panigrahi.
Ofiicial sources said the Maoist cadres from neighbouring Chhattisgarh are trying enter the tribal-dominated Kandhamal district. They are desperately trying to re-organize their base in the district after their top leader Sabyasachi Panda was arrested by police here on July 18, 2014.