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Police stations being fortified

BERHAMPUR: Police stations in Kandhamal district are being fortified with growing Naxal movement in the tribal dominated areas.

According to the Kandhamal Superintendent of Police (SP), Narasimha Bhola, fortification work of the Brahmanigaon police station would be completed within next one month.

Apart from it the State police headquarters has approved the fortification projects to be taken up at Kotgarh, Tumudibandh, Belgarh, Daringbadi and Baliguda police stations of the district.

The police department wants to gear up to face the naxals before they attempt any kind of violent mischief in the district. Till date naxals have not involved in any major violent activity in Kandhamal district. Yet the remoteness of tribal pockets of this district has recently started attracting the Maoists.

Recently combing operations were initiated in Kotgarh block of Kandhamal district. Mr Bhola said this was taken up with the help of Special Operation Group commandoes from Rayagada district on Sept 24.

They had received information that a group of naxals had entered Kotgarh block of Kandhmal district from Chandrapur block of Rayagada district. Although combing operation did not lead to any arrests yet the police department got definite proof that a group of six armed naxals, including two women, had spent a day at Matikera village on Sept 22. It is yet to be ascertained, what is the reason behind their recent movements in Kandhamal district.

According to sources, naxals are planning to use Kandhmal district as a transitory zone to make their entry into other districts like Ganjam and Nayagarh.

For the naxals Kandhamal is a strategic district as it can become a bridge between the naxal infested areas of western Orissa and southern Orissa. Heavy CRPF presence in naxal prone Gajapati and Rayagada districts has reportedly been prompting naxals to search for safe havens in remote tribal pockets of Kandhamal district.

According to sources movement of small Maoist groups is being reported from this area in regular intervals. All police stations in Ganjam district in this region have been alerted regarding this.

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