Odisha CM urges Centre not to withdraw Central forces from LWE-hit areas

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday urged the Union government to not withdraw Central forces from the Left-Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected areas of the state given the possible relocation of Maoists from neighbouring Chhattisgarh.

CM Majhi has also sought 12 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to further strengthen the anti-Maoist operations in the state.

While speaking at a crucial meeting of Chief Ministers and top officials of the Maoist-affected states chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Monday, CM Majhi expressed apprehensions over the possible infiltration of LWE cadres into Odisha given the escalation by the security forces’ actions against Maoists in neighbouring Chhattisgarh.

The Chief Minister also noted that the state government has created three battalions of ex-servicemen OSSF (Odisha Special Striking Force) to check the influx of the Maoists and their activities in Odisha.

He also said that the state government has also been filling up vacancies in the police in these areas in a time-bound manner.

“However, till the recruited forces are deployed on the ground, there is a pressing need, for effective area domination, to check infiltration from Chhattisgarh, and to augment intelligence-based operations,” CM Majhi added.

“In the current scenario, I request you, not to withdraw the Central forces, till the induction process is complete. Also, may I request you, to send at least 12 companies of CAPF for two years, to be deployed in LWE-affected areas, to prevent infiltration, and eradicate LWE from Odisha, in a time-bound manner,” he said.

Emphasising the necessity of dedicated helicopters in anti-Maoist operations, the Chief Minister also added that uninterrupted helicopter service is a critical requirement for the security forces for the movement of troops, maintenance of forward posts, and response to the exigencies in the LWE conflict.

He requested the Union government to provide a dedicated helicopter to the state for anti-Maoist operations.

CM Majhi sought real-time technical support from the specialised technical agencies of the Union government to further improve the operational capabilities of special forces in the fight with LWE cadres in the state.

“A list of 127 vital roads in LWE-affected areas, has been submitted, to the Union government, with a Home Department letter dated July 6, 2024. These road projects will considerably augment connectivity in these areas, and will also facilitate effective operations by security forces against Maoists. This may please be considered, at the earliest,” he added.

The Chief Minister also said that the LWE activities have been restricted to a few pockets in 10 districts of the state while the incidents of violence have also been minimised in Odisha due to the efforts of the Central and state security forces and the developmental activities of the state government in the affected areas.

However, the LWE ultras are very much active in the forest areas of Kandhamal-Boudh-Kalahandi and the state police forces, Central Armed Police Forces, Intelligence Bureau, State Intelligence Unit, and Special Task Force (STF), are working in synergy to eliminate Maoists from this area.

–IANS