Odisha Police sounds alert in districts bordering Chhattisgarh after Maoist attack in Dantewada

BHUBANESWAR: Alarmed by the Maoist attack that killed 10 security personnel and a driver in Dantewada, Chhattisgarh, on Wednesday, the Odisha Police sounded high alert in seven Maoist-affected districts that share borders with the neighbouring state.
Director general of police Sunil Kumar Bansal held a closed door meeting with his personnel dealing with counter-Maoist operations, and alerted the SPs of rebel-affected districts like Bargarh, Koraput, Malkangiri, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Nuapada and Balangir sharing boundaries with Chhattisgarh to prevent infiltration of rebels from the neighbouring state.
Odisha Police also pledged necessary assistance to their Chhattisgarh counterparts in carrying out joint combing operations to nab the Maoists.

"We are ready to extend all possible help to the Chhattisgarh Police from our side. The place of occurrence of the Maoist attack (Dantewada) is far from Malkangiri. We have alerted our SPs of the districts bordering Chhattisgarh, including Malkangiri and Koraput, to intensify checking and blocking at the border points," DGP Bansal told TOI.
Police sources said some 263-odd Maoists are currently active in Odisha. Of them, at least 200 are from Chhattisgarh, whereas 49 are from Andhra Pradesh and only 14 from Odisha, a source said.
Keeping in mind the strong presence of Chhattisgarh Maoists in Odisha, the state police last month constituted a joint task force (JTF), consisting of security personnel of both Odisha and Chhattisgarh police as well as central forces to strengthen inter-state coordination and sharing of intelligence to combat left-wing extremism. The JTF's camp has been set up at Datunama in Nuapada district, bordering Chhattisgarh. In the wake of the Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh, the JTF has been activated and asked to step up vigil.
Chief minister Naveen Patnaik expressed his grief and anguish over the 11 deaths in Dantewada. "Strongly condemn the cowardly IED blast carried out by Naxals killing so many policemen in Dantewada, Chhattisgarh. Salute to the brave hearts who sacrificed their lives. Condolences to the bereaved families of the brave hearts & prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured," Naveen tweeted.