Maoists planning major attack at Kandhamal: Cops

This has come to light during the interrogation of hardcore arrested Maoist Jagannath Nayak. The 45-year-old senior Naxal cadre was nabbed by the police from the Daringibadi area of Kandhamal recently.

Following Nayak’s confession, the Odisha police and the CRPF have intensified combing operations in the backward district besides sounding a red alert. Night patrolling has also been intensified in sensitive areas like Daringibadi and Bramhanigaon. “We are prepared to counter any attack,” a highly placed source in the police headquarters said. If the confessional statement by Nayak is to be believed, the planned attack — which has already been approved by the Maoists’ central committee — will be more severe and daring than the one on coastal Nayagarh town a couple of years ago.

During the Nayagarh operation—one of the most shocking Naxal strikes in the country—nearly 200-odd armed red rebels had launched simultaneous attacks on two police stations, a police training camp and a police armoury, killing many policemen besides looting huge quantities of arms and ammunitions. The Naxals had used mini trucks, vans, jeeps and motor bikes in that operation.

“As per the confession made by Nayak, the Maoists have already arranged two mini trucks, two vans, a jeep and four motor bikes to launch a Nayagarh-like attack on the police stations and camps of the CRPF and the elite special operation group of the state police in Kandhamal,” a senior official in the intelligence wing of the state police said adding 150 to 200 armed Maoists have been kept ready to launch the attack.