With intelligence reports hinting at the Maoists, involved in the recent Bastar mayhem, heading towards Sunabeda Wildlife Sanctuary in Nuapada, security has been strengthened and border sealed.
Although escaping into Malkangiri or Nabarangpur would have been easier as these places are located about 30 to 40 km from the spot of the bloodbath, deployment of at least two battalions of BSF on the borders has forced the Maoists to head towards Nuapada.
Security forces in Bargarh, Balangir and Jharsuguda districts have also been put on high alert and the borders sealed lest the Maoists sneak into these districts. This apart, special platoon of CRPF has been deployed in strategic locations and local police stations asked to strengthen intelligence.
A senior CRPF official visited Sambalpur on Monday reportedly after touring the affected areas where CRPF has been deployed and took stock of the situation.
DIG (NR) Sanjay Kumar said co-ordination meetings with the security forces were underway and political leaders have been asked to intimate the police before undertaking any journey into interior pockets.
He said they were not taking any chances and all efforts will be made to corner the Maoists.
Even as blame game is on over the massacre of the Congress leaders, it is learnt that the lapse by the security forces could be the result of the indifferent attitude of the political leadership after Maoists’ attack led to the death of a large number of CRPF personnel in the region.
Sources said the CRPF, in its report of May 17 prepared with inputs by Chhattisgarh police, had said that another militant company of Maoists had been inducted in Bijapur district to support the Maoists in the area. They were aware that the Maoists were determined to plan a big attack to reinforce their supremacy. Sources said senior Maoist cadre Katakam Sudarshan led the ambush and other divisions, including Bargarh-Balangir-Mahasammund division and Odisha- Chhattisgarh Special Zonal Committee had also been roped in for the ambush.
Sudarshan (56), is the secretary of the central regional bureau of the CPI(Maoist) and also a member of the politburo. His name had figured in Dantewada massacre also in which 76 CRPF personnel had lost their lives. He carries a reward of more than Rs 12 lakh on his head.
