A day after the Union Home Ministry asked Maoist affected States of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and West Bengal to ensure impregnable security in the prisons where arrested Maoist leaders are lodged, security was beefed up in Sambalpur town and Sambalpur Circle Jail.
Security forces have recovered a 17-page letter written by Maoist top leader Muppalla Lakshmana Rao alias Ganapathy to senior Maoists directing the latter to either get bail or resort to jailbreak to rescue the Maoists from the jail. Ganapathy appeared worried in his letter and gave example of Chaibasa jailbreak in Jharkhand in 2011 when three Maoist leaders managed to escape from high security prison by cutting the ventilators of their cells.
Thrice in the past in 2008, 2011 and 2012, the Maoists had planned jailbreak in Sambalpur Circle jail which were foiled. The ultras had even tried to loot armoury at Bargarh once in September 2007 which too was thwarted.
The Circle Jail is home to 38 hardcore Maoists including Girish Mahato, who had escaped from Giridihi Jail in Jharkhand, explosive expert James, Rahul, Robin, Pabitra, Dhanu Dehuri who were high up in the hierarchy of Sambalpur-Deogarh-Sundargarh Committee of the CPI (Maoist).
Sources said though the district police had already in place three-tier security ring around them, it has been further strengthened.
One platoon of police force has been deployed inside the jail while two armed units each of the CRPF and district police are posted in undisclosed location but in striking distance.
Thick security cover will also be provided during transit of these Maoists to courts. While static guard in two bullet-proof vehicles which act as a movable bunker are in the first layer, there are armed guards at safe distance in the second layer and in the third layer there are unarmed guards who accompany the Maoists during production in courts.
Currently, there are 16 Maoists in Padampur sub-jail in Bargarh district, 23 Maoists in Balangir jail, seven in Patnagarh sub-jail, all under Sambalpur circle.
DIG (North range) Sanjay Kumar said police districts under his range have been working closely to prevent regrouping of Maoists from Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh.