Red fury put cops are at tizzy in Orissa

Bhubaneswar ( Orissa) : Security forces, those who are preparing for a final offensive against the People’s Liberation Guerilla Army of the outlawed CPI (Maoists) in dense Saranda Forest areas from mid of this month, will have to rethink their strategies following Red outrage in Orissa’s Sundargarh district.

Though, security forces of Orissa, West Bengal and Jharkhand were earlier believed Muppala Laxman Rao alias Ganapathi and his men would wiped out from Saranda jungle during Operation Saranda , recent violence and outrage in bordering areas, have spoilsport all the game plan.

“While the police of Keonjhar and Sundergarh districts, which hosts a part of Saranda forest, will participate directly in the operation, Purulia and West Midnapore police will help block Maoist escape routes,” sources added. “With report of Red outrage in Sundargarh, security forces are worried a lot,” an intelligence official disclosed on Friday.

Sources said the police top brass of the three States had been planning the operation since April-May this year. Saranda jungles, which shares borders of four highly leftwing insurgency hit States in eastern India, would be liberated from the hands of the guerrillas if security forces marches ahead.

“See, we are preparing for a final war against the rebels in Saranda with the help of Jharkhand and West Bengal. The offensive will be a crucial one. It will either force rebels to surrender or wipe out them,” a top police official engaged in anti-Maoists operation in Orissa said.

The official further added that in earlier occasions, it was only Jharkhand police, which fought against the rebels in Saranda, now things have changes as three States joins hand to eliminate the outlawed elements.

Police sources manning the Special Operation Group (SOG) Headquarters here however said the topography of Saranda is such that it helped rebels sneak into Sundergarh district of Orissa and Purulia district of Bengal whenever the Jharkhand police launch an anti-insurgency operation. Odisha Today

“So, we have made efforts to completely check cross-border infiltration while entire stretch connecting Keonjhar to Sundargarh will be under scanner during ‘Operation Saranda,” police sources said.

“We will choke all rebel corridors. It will be a no-exit situation. CRPF Jawans will help us in the operation,” he added. The route of flush-out is being marked,” said a police officer adding helicopters and commandos of the Indian Reserve Battalion would be pressed into service during the operation.

Worried over violence, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik described the ultra-Left activists as “anti-nationals” and “criminals” and said they should not be tolerated in a civilised society.

We will certainly deal with the Maoists. They are breaking the most essential and critical laws of the land”, he said.