High alert in two Odisha districts

The Odisha government has sounded a high alert in the naxal-hit districts of Malkangiri and Nowrangpur following intelligence report that the Maoists are trying to sneak into the forest with their hostage Sukma Collector Alex Paul Menon.

The southern districts bordering with Chhattisgarh have already been sealed as per the request of the neighbouring state. “We have sealed the borders and a high alert has already been sounded in both the districts. Still the possibility of the Maoists sneaking into the Odisha territory along with their hostage cannot be ruled out as both districts have vast stretches of forest connecting Chhattisgarh,” a official said.

The anti-naxal operations in the southern Odisha has slowed down because of the state’s own hostage crisis—Biju Janata Dal MLA Jhina Hikaka who was abducted by the Maoists a month back. His fate is expected to be decided on Wednesday at a ‘Praja Court’, a kangaroo court of the naxalites.

Meanwhile, sources in the police intelligence department here said, the Menon’s abduction could have been executed by the same Maoist group which was responsible for killing of former MLA, Jagabandhu Majhi, from Umarkote in Nowrangpur district, last year. “The modus operandi of both attacks were same. Therefore, we believe that the collector’s abduction has been carried out by the same Maoists’ faction responsible for the killing of former legislator Majhi,” said a state crime branch official.