BSF keen to heighten security in Odisha's Malkangiri district

The Border Security Force today said it wants to boost security in remote areas of the state like the Malkangiri district, focusing on its borders with Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
"Our major challenge is the Andhra-Chhattisgarh border. Force movement is the main challenge. We want to make more inroads in the cut-off area to do the operations," BSF Additional Director General, Arun Kumar told reporters here.
"... Then on the Chhattisgarh border, there are security gaps in the Tulsi-Dongri area. We want to further move into the area. Recently, we had a joint training of SOG, COBRA and Odisha police," he said.

Kumar said emphasis is on joint training exercises, especially involving the BSF, Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (COBRA) and CRPF.
Replying a question, the ADG said the Union Cabinet's recent approval of a proposal for modernisation of police will boost the morale of the security personnel.
The remote area in Odisha's Malkangiri district is surrounded by waters of the Balimela reservoir on three sides, and forest cover on the other side under Andhra Pradesh jurisdiction.

The security personnel face a major challenge to flush out militants from the area because of its geographical location, sources in Odisha Police said.
Meanwhile, Odisha Director General of Police R P Sharma, in a separate press conference, said the state police has been working in tandem with the BSF and CRPF to launch anti-maoist combing operations based on specific information.

"We will take all stakeholders into confidence while launching any offensive against the maoists, who have been changing their strategies frequently," he said.
The anti-maoist operations face difficulties as they frequently shift bases, prompting the police to change planning to counter them, the sources added.