DGP Abhay, team of Odisha Police, BSF treks into Red territory

BHUBANESWAR: After setting up a BSF base at Gorasetu, security forces have moved deeper into the Swabhiman Anchal in a bid to connect with the people. Led by DGP Abhay, a team of Odisha Police and Border Security Force (BSF) on Sunday trekked 500 meter from the BSF company operating base located on a hillock to meet Gorasetu villagers. The base was made operational on October 31.

On Sunday, DGP along with other senior officers of the BSF visited the camp on the day to review anti-Naxal operations. Abhay, who was the first SP of Malkangiri in 1992, reportedly insisted on meeting villagers and interacted with over a 100 of them.

“A girl from Gorasetu who is studying BA at Balimela requested to open an Anganwadi Centre in their village and we assured that the matter will be taken up before the government,” said the DGP.A senior police officer said, villagers were delighted to see the top officers and womenfolk also welcomed the DGP by performing ‘aarti.’ The DGP distributed sarees to the women and study materials to children in Gorasetu village.

The DGP said, police will request the State government to provide mobile phones to children of the village so that they can start attending online classes. The villagers also requested the top police officer to enhance presence of security forces in the region so that developmental activities can be taken up at a faster pace.

At least three camps have been established in Swabhiman Anchal within a year including at Hantalguda in December, 2019, Jodambo in March and  Gorasetu last month. Two bases in Badapada and Kunturpadar are being operated by Odisha Police while camps in Janbai, Badapadar,  Jantapai, Hantalguda, Jodambo and Gorasetu are managed by the BSF.  

“Earlier, there was only one mobile tower in Swabhiman Anchal but this year, four others were installed. The jawans deployed in the region are now able to interact with their families on video calls,” said Abhay.
Similarly, work on seven roads has already been completed in the cut-off area and the State government has sanctioned construction of 14 new roads, four of which are nearing completion.

The senior police officers also discussed measures to enhance operations against drug trafficking in the district. “Ganja smuggling is rampant in Koraput and the district police has seized 60 tonne contraband between January and November which is about 30 per cent of the total seizure by Odisha Police this year,” said a senior police officer.

Director Intelligence RK Sharma, IG (Operations) Amitabh Thakur, BSF IG Madhu Sudan Sharma and senior officers of IB and Odisha Police were present.