Nuapada: Close on the heels of Maoist ambush in Patadhara killing three CRPF jawans, IG, Operations Amitabh Thakur Thursday said the sacrifice of the CRPF jawans won’t go in vain and that a blueprint is being prepared to eliminate Maoists in Nuapada and other parts of the state. A team of senior police officials including Thakur, DIG (South Western Range) Rajesh Pandit, CRPF ADG Nitin Agrawal and Nuapada SP Pratyush Dibakar conducted an investigation into the incident at Patadhara Reserve forest of Bhainsadani panchayat under Boden block of Nuapada district.
Later, they held a high-level meeting at the CRPF office here on the anti-Maoist operation. Addressing a presser here after the meeting, officials said Maoists used mortars to attack security forces in neighbouring Chhattisgarh. It was also revealed that the Left-wing extremists are preparing mortars. “The Maoists have used mortars against CRPF jawans for the first time in Odisha. The used mortars have been seized,” they said. They also added that a blueprint has been prepared to deal with the Left-wing extremism in the district while a joint combing operation has been launched by Odisha and Chhattisgarh police.
The IG and DIG stated that reconstruction of a ghati road from Bhainsadani to Patadhara is underway. To provide security to the road construction contractor, three CRPF jawans had gone to the site from Bhainsadani June 21. The jawans took shelter under a Mahua tree as it was raining heavily. Suddenly, Maoists launched an attack from behind. Three jawans fell to the Maoists’ bullets. On the other hand, following the ambush, the people in the area have been living in an atmosphere of terror. People Wednesday feared to venture out to sell their produce at a recently inaugurated market in the area.
Locals said the ultras have been opposing restoration work of Bhainsadani-Patadhara road. CRPF personnel were engaged here to provide security to the ongoing road work. It was suspected that since the ambush took place close to the border with Chhattisgarh, involvement of Red rebels from the neighbouring state cannot be ruled out. In the wake of this incident, security has been beefed up in Patadhara area. IG of CRPF, SP Mohanty, CRPF DIG Daljit Singh and Commandant Rajesh Bose were present at the press conference.
