Malkangiri Cong Accuses Odisha Govt Of Shielding Maoists, Claims Arrested Ultra Has Links With BJD

Malkangiri: A day after hardcore Maoist Tapan Saha, allegedly involved in the abduction of former Malkangiri collector R Vineel Krishna, was arrested from Andhra Pradesh, Congress on Tuesday accused the BJD government in Odisha of shielding the left wing ultras.

Saha was arrested by Malkangiri district police with help of DVF forces from Gilabandha area of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh on Monday.

Saha had allegedly been operating an SBI kiosk and defrauding people in Swabhiman Anchal, apart from threatening them and indulging in extortion activities, sources said.

Following an FIR lodged by a woman of Swabhiman Anchal against the Maoist at Papermetla police station, Chitrakonda SDPO and DVF jawans had raided Gilabandha area in the neighbouring state and arrested Saha.

The arrest of the Maoist prompted Congress leaders of Malkangiri to hold a press conference on the issue on Tuesday to criticise the ruling dispensation. District Congress unit president Gobinda Patra said the Maoist had been arrested earlier in 2011 in connection with abduction of the then Malkangiri collector, but was out of jail after getting bail from the court.

“After being released on bail, the Maoist had been threatening people and extorting money from them in Swabhiman Anchal,” he alleged, adding that the Maoist was working as an active member of the ruling BJD and had built rapport with contractors and engineers in the area.

Showing some photographs, the Congress leader further alleged that the Maoist was well connected with the Chindrakonda MLA and the Nabarangpur MP. “All these show that the ultra was being shielded by the ruling party,” he claimed.

Notably, a woman identified as Sapna Khila of Panasgandi panchayat had filed a complaint at Chitrakonda police station on November 15, 2022, against the Maoist.