Maoist activities have gone down in many districts except Malkangiri, Koraput, Kalahandi, Rayagada, Kandhamal and Nuapada
Cuttack: The state police have achieved considerable success in containing Maoist activists in state, said director general of police (DGP) RP Sharma while releasing the annual crime report here Saturday.
According to the DGP, Maoist activities have gone down in many districts of state except Malkangiri, Koraput, Kalahandi, Rayagada, Kandhamal and Nuapada.
“The Centre has excluded four districts of state from Left-Wing Extremist (LWE) affected areas. Now, we have only 15 LWE affected districts,” said the DGP.
Sharma claimed that 12 civilians and a policeman died in firing by Maoists in state in 2018. “Altogether 19 Maoists were killed in police encounter and 39 others were arrested by security personnel. Moreover, 27 Naxalites laid down their arms in state,” Sharma added.
According to Sharma, security personnel and Maoists exchanged fire in 53 incidents in state in the current year. As many as 23 such incidents were reported from Malkangiri district, said the DGP. “We have seized 40 firearms including a few AK-47, SLR and INSAS during anti-Maoist operations,” he said.
The DGP said they have urged the Centre to provide a helicopter to carry out anti-Maoist operations in areas lacking proper communication.
Throwing light on police modernisation, Sharma said the state government had allocated Rs 68.91 crore for the current fiscal to boost security infrastructure. “Utilising the funds, we have provided vans to all police stations and bikes to the investigating officers. We have also organised training camps and built forensic labs and modern control rooms. Some modern weapons have also been purchased for security personnel,” claimed the DGP.
Sharma also revealed that the state government has introduced a five-year plan to develop information technology (IT) infrastructure for Odisha Police. “The government would spend Rs 139 crore on it. It has sanctioned Rs 21 crore for the plan in this fiscal. Process has been started to connect all police stations and other offices of Odisha police in one network,” he said.
The DGP highlighted that they are taking steps to provide internet connection to all police stations. Moreover, steps would be taken to arrange videoconferencing facilities at all police stations, he said.
“We hope that all police stations would opt for paperless operation by June, 2019. A software has been devised for the purpose,” added the DGP.
Sharma claimed that police have successfully solved the Patnagarh parcel bomb case and arrested the accused. Similarly, security personnel have arrested gangster Tito and a few of his aides, he pointed out.
“Police have seized 989 gram brown sugar and 704 quintal cannabis this year. We have also destroyed ganja cultivation on 6,684 acre land,” divulged the DGP.
