BSF to intensify anti-Maoist operations in Odisha's Malkangiri

BHUBANESWAR: Anti-Naxal operations will be intensified in the cut-off areas of Malkangiri district and along Odisha’s border with Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh. The focus will be on Malkangiri and Tulsi Dongri hill on the Chhattisgarh-Odisha border, said Additional Director General of BSF Arun Kumar here on Thursday.

The security forces of Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh will also hold a joint coordination meeting in Visakhapatnam on October 10 to discuss the strategy for control the Naxal menace.

At present, eight battalions of BSF have been deployed in the undivided Koraput region comprising Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada and Nabarangpur districts. Each battalion consists of about 1,000 personnel. About 2, 000 personnel have laid down their lives during counter-insurgency operations in the country so far.

“We will organise a BSF Half Marathon on October 22 in several cities including Bhubaneswar to commemorate the sacrifices made by the personnel,” a senior BSF officer said. The event will have three categories including 21-km for men and women (18 years and above), 10-km for men and women (18 years and above) and 5-km run children (below 14 years). The winners will be awarded with cash prizes and trophies.

A website www.bsfhalfmarathonodisha.com was also launched on the day for providing information about the event. The participants can register themselves by either paying Rs 100 online or depositing it at the counters which will be opened near the prominent parks in the Capital City on October 14.

The money collected from the event would be deposited in the welfare fund meant for the families of the personnel, especially the martyrs. Inspector General, BSF, AK Singh was also present.