BHUBANESWAR:Director General (DG) of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Prakash Mishra on Tuesday said the para-military forces will be withdrawn from the areas which witnessed less Maoist activities and redeployed in places where the red rebels are more active.
Mishra, who was in Odisha to review the preparedness of the CRPF to counter Maoist activities, told this paper that CRPF camps will be withdrawn from Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Ganjam districts as the presence of red rebels in these areas has reduced. Barring Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Sunabeda and Nuapada areas, Maoist activities in the State are now negligible, he said.
"CRPF will take up special measures in the four Maoist prone districts and focus on Nuapada and Sunabeda," he said. Replying to a question on the State Government's demand for deployment of more CRPF personnel in Odisha, Mishra said the Centre will take a decision after the State Government places its demand.
Mishra had inspected the CRPF camp at Gajalbadi in Ganjam district and reviewed the state of affairs as well as preparation on Monday. He also visited the 8th Battalion of CRPF at Chandrapur in Rayagada district where he held a closed door meeting with officials to review the prevailing situation in the region.
The CRPF DG's visit assumes significance as the Odisha Police is currently engaged in an offensive against the Maoists to capture top ultra leader Ram Krishna in southern districts amidst reports that the LWEs are working on strategies to shoot down choppers used by the security forces.
Mishra said the security forces are aware of the strategies and added that the objective is to maintain 'zero-casualty' during anti-Naxal operations.