Chhattisgarh Violence: Odisha To Intensify Anti-Maoist Operations, Says DGP

Bhubaneswar: In the wake of killing of 22 security personnel in Maoist attack in neighbouring Chhattisgarh, Odisha DGP Abhay on Sunday said the state police will intensify its operation against the banned outfit.

Speaking to the media at Sunabeda in Koraput district, the DGP condemned the Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur. While 22 jawans were martyred, 20 others were injured in the incident. Odisha police will intensify the anti-Maoist operations with the help of CRPF in the areas of Odisha where LWE activities are high, he added.

Abhay expressed his condolences to the families of the martyrs in Chhattisgarh and said, “Though the Maoist activities in Odisha have come down, we are committed to wipe out the insurgency in a united manner.”

The security personnel were killed in a 9-hour gun battle between the extremists and the joint team of CRPF, District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Special Task Force (STF) on Saturday.

While the bodies of five the security personnel were recovered on Saturday, 17 more bodies were found on Sunday after a massive search operation in the area.