BHUBANESWAR : Odisha Police has tightened security in Nayagarh, around 84 km from the state capital, following intelligence inputs regarding movement of Maoists in small groups in bordering areas of Kandhamal and Ganjam districts.
The development is particularly alarming as it comes at a time when the Centre is aiming to eradicate left wing extremism (LWE) by March 2026. To ensure the red ultras do not carry out any desperate attack at this time, Odisha Police has augmented the strength of guards at Nayagarh armoury from existing 15 to 25.
One unit of Odisha Special Striking Force (OSSF) each has been deployed at Daspalla and Banigochha police stations to immediately respond to any emergency situation.
Similarly, a unit of Odisha Police’s Special Operations Group (SOG) has also been mobilised at Daspalla to instantly launch operations if any movement of Naxalites is noticed around Nayagarh district. Police sources said the Maoists are possibly moving in small groups in areas which were their stronghold between 2004 and 2015 and currently do not have any security deployment.
“The inputs related to movement of the Naxals in Kandhamal, Rayagada, Gajapati and Ganjam-Nayagarh bordering areas still pose a threat. It is being anticipated that small groups of the red ultras may be taking shelter in forested areas of Gajapati, Ganjam and Nayagarh bordering Kandhamal district,” the sources added. The SPs of these districts have also been directed to remain alert.
For swift movement of security forces, the state government has decided to provide 15 motorcycles each to SOG and district voluntary force (DVF) personnel deployed in Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Rayagada and Gajapati. Meanwhile, as the Naxal situation in Chhattisgarh and bordering districts of Odisha has substantially improved following surrenders by many cadres of Udanti area committee, Odisha police has planned to shift at least two companies of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) from Nabarangpur to Gajapati and Rayagada districts, said sources.
Nayagarh had witnessed one of the bloodiest strike by CPI (Maoist) about 17 years ago. Over 400 heavily armed militants of the banned outfit had laid siege to Nayagarh district police armoury, armoury of Police Training School in Daspalla, Nuagaon police station and Mahipur police outpost on the night of February 15, 2008.
The Maoists overpowered the police and mercilessly killed 15 of them. They had also looted huge cache of arms including sophisticated and automatic weapons before fleeing. Till then, the district had not witnessed any Maoist activity.