JEYPORE : Even as no Maoist outfit has yet claimed responsibility of the landmine explosion in the hilly Sunki-Salur road near Koraput’s Pottangi that claimed lives of eight policemen three days back, intelligence agencies indicate that involvement of Nandapur Maoist cadres under Koraput-Srikakulam Maoist division had masterminded the attack.
Sources said for last several months, Maoists have been spreading their tentacles to Sunki, Potangi, Nandapur bordering Odisha and Andhra Pradesh led by their leader, Suresh and police are suspecting the landmine explosion may be their handiwork.
Earlier, two supervisors were killed and two contractor camps were destroyed by the same Nandapur Maoist group and both the camps were located close to the Sunki-Salur road where the explosion took place on Wednesday.
District Police have started inquiry into the incident and combing has been intensified in the Andhra-Odisha bordering areas by local cops and BSF jawans.
Suresh is a most wanted Maoist carrying a reward of `20 lakhs on his head and police have started a manhunt to nab him. “We are suspecting involvement of Suresh and and his associate, Aruna in the attack,” said a senior police officer, adding that the police are yet to get the logic behind attack on unarmed policemen by Maoists. Four members of Crime Branch team would start an inquiry into the attack from Saturday.
Meanwhile, vehicular traffic on the Visakhapatnam-Raipur NH which was disturbed due to the explosion, has been normalised on Friday. However, commuters from Koraput are preferring to take the Lamataput-Araku road instead of the highway to reach Visakhapatnam and Raipur.