NABARANGPUR:Security has been beefed up in areas bordering Nabarangpur and Chhattisgarh in the wake of intelligence inputs on Maoist infiltration into the district from the neighbouring State.
The inputs came following Maoist violence in Chhattisgarh on Saturday when a BSF jawan was killed in Kanker district and three CRPF jawans were injured when an IED exploded during a road opening operation in Dantewada.
Intelligence inputs have pointed to possible infiltration of Maoists from Chhattisgarh to Nabarangpur.
SP Jugal Kishore told this paper that as the stronghold of Maoists is weakening in Chhattisgarh, the latter are trying to shift to Nabarangpur. Police are on the alert, he said, adding that combing has been intensified in coordination with their counterparts from the neighbouring State.
The SP said on an information that Maoists were heading towards Nabarangpur district, security personnel of Nabarangpur and Kalahandi districts sanitised the area from both the sides. In the operation, Kalahandi police succeeded in killing a woman Maoist cadre and seized arms and ammunition.
It may be recalled that eight persons, including former MLA Jagabandhu Majhi and police constable Prashant Patro, were gunned down by Maoists between 2010 and 2012. During this period, Maoists established their network in the district, especially in bordering Raighar block.
Later, their network expanded to Umerkote, Jharigam and Chandahandi blocks and some pockets of Maidalpur and Khatiguda areas. All the activities in the district are being controlled by Meinpur Division of CPI (Maoist), which has its base in Chhattisgarh.
However, due to adverse geographical condition and deployment of heavy security forces at strategic locations, the outfit has not been able to inflict any major damage in the district after 2012. Although Maoist movement has been reported from different parts of the district in the last three years, there has been no violence.
On the other hand, police have been organising public relation campaigns throughout the district to build good rapport with people in Maoist-hit villages.
Recently, four such programmes were organised at four villages under Raighar and Kundei police limits. A number of cultural events and sports activities were conducted for youths and villagers.