Six new BSF camps planned to combat Maoists in Odisha

In order to contain the spread of Maoist activities in inter-state border and remote areas, police has chalked out a plan to set up six new BSF camps in Malkangiri, Koraput and Rayagada districts.

"We want at least two new permanent BSF camps each along Malkangiri-Chhattisgarh border along Sukuma, Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border under Pottangi police limits in Koraput district and border areas of Rayagada-Kalahandi districts," IG of Police (south-western range) Y K Jethwa said today.

As no permanent security camps were there along Malkangiri-Chhattisgarh border, Maoists were trying to gain control over the area and had increased their movement and activities in the past few few months.

Similarly, to restrict the movement of Maoists in Kalahandi and Rayagada districts, two security camps had been planned along the borders of the two districts, he said.

In Koraput district, the Maoists have found new areas of operation under Pottangi and Nandapur police limits which shared boundary with Andhra Pradesh.

"Cornered in Narayanpatna and Bandhugaon, Maoists are now starting to build up their movement in interior parts of Pottangi police limits adjoining Andhra Pradesh. One BSF camp at Ampaballi and another at Pottangi would strengthen our fight against extremism," said SP (Koraput) Awinash Kumar.

Though there was no plan to deploy any new battalion of BSF in the present battle against the Maoists, the new camps would be established by drawing forces from the eight battalion of the central forces engaged in the fight against Left wing extremism in the state.

"Forces for the proposed new BSF camps will be drawn from those places where we have achieved area dominance and Maoist activities have drastically come down," the IG said.