ROURKELA: Security forces along Odisha-Jharkhand border are on their toes following the call of outlawed CPI(Maoist) outfit for a shutdown in adjacent Jharkhand.
Though the shutdown was called from Sunday to Monday midnight, normalcy is yet to be restored. Normal life was hit in all areas along Odisha-Jharkhand border but no untoward incident has been reported from either side of the border till now. Jharkhand-bound buses originating from Rourkela have suspended operations for the last two days.
Sources said the Maoists gave the shutdown call to protest the recent killing of a truck driver and helper in police firing in a case of mistaken identity in Gumla district of Jharkhand.
On Sunday, People’s Liberation Front of India (PLFI), engaged in criminal extortion, had observed a similar shutdown to protest encounter killing of its two cadres by Simdega police of Jharkhand.
While a stretch of about 75 kms of common border with Saranda from Topadihi to Bisra under Rourkela police limits is affected by the CPI (Maoist), about 150 kms of forest border stretch from Nuagaon to Talsara under Sundargarh police limits is infested by PLFI.
Jharkhand’s Kolhan range DIG Md Nehal said no violent activities was reported from areas under his jurisdiction and adequate security measures have been taken to avert any untoward incident.
On Sunday, Jharkhand security forces had recovered a landmine weighing about 40 kgs from under a road culvert between Bitkelsoi and Nuagaon of Saranda forest in West Singhbhum district.
In fact, Maoist movement in Saranda has increased recently in the wake of the ultras preparing to observe 10th formation day of CPI(Maoist).