Koraput: Security has been tightened on the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha Border (AOB) and in the cut-off areas of undivided Koraput district and other areas as the banned CPI (Maoist) has given a call to observe a protest week from January 25 and a Bharat bandh Thursday.
Top police officials directed all range, district, sub-division and field-level police personnel to be on alert till the end of the month.
The Maoists’ AOB-special zone committee official spokesperson Jagabandhu said in a recent release, “The Maoists have called upon all revolutionary organisations and the people to observe a ‘Protest Week’ from January 25. On the last day of the protest week a ‘Bharat bandh’ would be observed against the Centre’s ‘Samaadhaan’ programme.”
The Maoists flayed the Centre’s ‘Samaadhaan’ programme aimed at ending their movement. The left wing extremists also lashed out at the state for ‘harassing the public’, particularly the poor.
The Koraput and Malkangiri police have been alerted and extensive checks are being conducted throughout the districts, particularly in the AOB, cut-off areas and adjacent tribal villages.
Police suspect that during the bandh, the Maoists may resort to violence to make their presence felt.
The movements of Maoists and their sympathisers have been detected in Koraput and Malkangiri. The extremists distributed pamphlets and posters describing the Centre and state governments as ‘anti-people’. A bus and a truck were burnt, but there were no casualties.
Koraput SP Kanwar Vishal Singh held a review meeting Monday, and alerted district officials about the activities of anti-social elements in connection with the general elections. He also enquired about criminal cases and their status.
The SP ordered the police to take up cordon and search operations in all suspicious places. All trouble makers will be identified and bind-over rules will be imposed on them immediately, the SP added.
Malkangiri SP Jagmohan Meena said security has been beefed up and combing operation is being carried out by the BSF and SOG in the cut-off areas. The police have been directed to remain alert to meet any situation.
PNN