RAYAGADA: The Niyamgiri hills in Rayagada district have virtually turned it into a safe haven for Maoists after security forces slowed down combing operations in forest areas. It has helped the Left extremists consolidate their base in adjacent Kalahandi and Kandhamal districts.Sources said Maoists used to take shelter in the hills after committing violence and the terrain came to their aid. Now, inadequate combing operations in the area have prompted the banned Left Wing Extremists to make the area their hideout and chalk out their next course of action.Such a situation has left the Dongria Kondhs of the hills in a quandary.
However, regular surfacing of posters in Kalyansinghpur, Muniguda and Bissamcuttack blocks protesting the alleged attempt by the Government to lease out the Niyamgiri hills to a private company for bauxite mining has become a cause of concern for the District Police. This apart, incidents of arson by the Maoists have forced the contractors to leave rural roads incomplete, affecting development in the area.
Though the launching of ‘Operation Green Hunt’ against the Maoists had given substantial results to security forces in the recent past, the ultras have now set up their camps in the dense forest areas of Niyamgiri hills. It is suspected that the Maoists are engaged in planting landmines in Niyamgiri to counter the security forces, sources said.
During his visit to Rayagada after joining as DIG Southern West Range, Ashish Singh had said steps are being taken to intensify the combing operations to flush out Maoists from the trouble-torn region.
The Maoists had forayed into the region in 2010 taking advantage of the resistance waged by the tribals against mining in Niyamgiri hills.
Soon, this led to a fierce confrontation between the Red rebels and security forces and at least six innocent Dongria Kondhs were killed by Maoists branding them as police informers. On the other hand, the security forces were accused of harassing the Dongria Kondhs treating them as sympathisers of the Maoists.
Red rebels protest activists’ arrest
Rayagada: Maoist posters protesting the arrest of civil rights activists have surfaced at Parshalli village under Kalyansinghpur police limits on Thursday. In the posters, the rebels have appealed to the Government to release the activists immediately. In another poster, the Maoists also urged the locals to raise voice against the undeclared emergency imposed by the Narendra Modi-led Government. Besides, they appealed to tribals to intensify protest to save the nation from the grip of Fascist regime. Later, Kalyansinghpur police seized the posters and banner.