Maoist plotting to attack western Odisha soft targets: police

Bishram alias Sudhir Bhuiyan, 24 and Habil Horo, 23 belonging to the West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand and accused in several murder cases, were arrested from Saranda forest bordering Odisha and Jharkhand in the small hours today.

Their interrogation revealed that the Maoists were planning to attack "soft targets" like security forces camps, training centres and the like in Western Odisha, DIG (Western Range) Yaswant Jethwa said.

"We have sounded alert to RPF, CISF camps and other installations," Jethwa said adding that the forces have started joint operation in various areas to thwart any such incident.

"As per the plan of the Maoists' Saranda platoon, about 100 cadres with help from other areas could strike any place in the region," he said.

The arrest was vital as they revealed the Maoist plan on co-ordination among the cadres of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha to strengthen the sagging confidence of the outlawed organisation, Jethwa said.

They were nabbed at around 2 AM at Lungra Ghati under K.Balang police station by a joint team of CRPF and the district volunteer force following a tip off.

Bhuiyan and Horo were accused in the killing of Ajit Bardhan, a sub-inspector of police in 2009, and former woman Maoist Kandri Lohar and her four-year-old son last year. Lohar had left the CPI(Maoist) and joined the police as home guard. MORE