Other States - Orissa   

Need to rebuild intelligence

BERHAMPUR: Rebuilding a grassroot level intelligence network is the need of the hour for the police force in naxal-infested Malkangiri district.

The Maoists had destroyed the grassroot level intelligence sources of the police force in a planned manner during past one year. There was lack of proper flow of information to the police force, which is quite evident from the recent landmine blast at MV-126 village on Wednesday. Although massive amount of explosives which could blow up an anti-landmine vehicle was stored under a culvert near the village, not a single person of the area hinted at anything suspicious to the police team that had visited MV 41 village of the area to investigate a naxal attack on the house of a BJP leader. Maoists were well informed of the movement of the police force who had no hint of any movement of naxals. Similar was the situation when naxals attacked the launch carrying Greyhound jawans from Andhra Pradesh in the Chitrakonda reservoir.

Usually police force uses the village heads to hold its public relation campaigns in remote areas. During past one year naxals had killed four village headmen in Malkangiri district. They include a former naib-sarpanch Sunam Jagabandhu of Tandbai panchayat, Mukunda Madhi of Bandiguda, former chairman of Kalimela block, Jaga Madi and Madkami Kana of Petta village. In April they killed Satyam Lachha of Jilengiguda, a man who was in ferry business and used to carry policemen in his boats.

The fear of naxals ruled. According to police the former Sarpanch of Kondapalli, Jagabandhu Sunami was gunned down by naxals in July 2007 but due to naxal panic his son and brother claimed that the deceased had died of prolonged illness. The wife of Satyam also changed her statement against the persons arrested on the charge of murder of her husband.

Maoists also dealt with possible double-crossers with iron hand to prevent any man close to them become an advantage for police. Malkangiri district secretary of the BJD, Prabir Kumar Mohanty was murdered by Maoists on May 27. He allegedly had close links with the Maoists who may have fallen out of their good books. Maoists passed on the message to their subtle supporters that they may also be murdered if they fell out.

One unknown person suspected to be from Warangal area of Andhra was killed by naxals in the district on April 3. In another incident they murdered a person suspected to be form Chhatisgarh near Telarai on April 24. Naxals claimed they were police informers. But police suspected they were part of the naxal outfit and were killed in some tussle.

It would be a hard task for the police force to rebuild an effective intelligence network which has been snapped by naxals with the fear of death. But without it all modern forms of anti-naxal warfare would be least effective in this bastion of Maoist guerillas.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Poor but honest and noble
One feared drowned
RSP crane operator injured
Panic in village as diarrhoea spreads
Toys fair keeps tradition alive
Temple burgled
Cuttack Mayor offers to quit if charges against her are proved
New Collectors appointed for six districts
Chief Minister to visit Malkangiri today
Railway Ministry orders inquiry into Shankar Singh case
Need to rebuild intelligence

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu