MALKANGIRI : For the first time, the Tricolour was hoisted deep in the Maoist heartland of Hantalguda in Swabhiman Anchal with establishment of a Border Security Force (BSF) camp there on Saturday. In the past, black flags were hoisted by ultras in Hantalguda as security personnel could not venture into the small village, a Maoist stronghold.BSF personnel accompanied by SP Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo and BSF 9th Battalion Commanding Officer Rudra Sunil Minja began walking from Jantapai BSF Company Operative Base (COB) on Friday to Hantalguda under Jodamba panchayat limits in Swabhiman Anchal.
They reached the village early on Saturday morning and began the process of setting up the temporary BSF camp after the SP hoisted the National Flag. While the camp was set up by evening, three tube wells were also dug up in the village on the day to address drinking water issues of villagers.
BSF DIG(Intelligence) Sukumar Sarangi termed it as a historic moment. “With setting up of the new BSF COB at Hantalguda, security forces would make further inroads into the Swabhiman Anchal thereby paving the way to fast-track development works,” Sarangi added. He further said the new camp would facilitate construction of road from Jodamba to Kunturpadar.
The Central forces, however, expressed unhappiness over the slow pace of construction of 11-km-long road from Janbai to Jantapai even after opening of the Gurupriya bridge. They said the issue was taken up with the Chief Secretary in Bhubaneswar but no headway has been made.
With Maoists on backfoot following the multi-pronged strategy of BSF, the State Government and district administration should take advantage of the situation and expedite the development works”, said a BSF officer.On Wednesday, villagers from seven panchyats of Swabhiman Anchal, allegedly backed by Maoists, had assembled and staged protests at Hantalguda against setting up of the BSF camp.
