Odisha government will seek deployment of two additional battalions of CRPF jawans along its borders with Chhatisgarh following the the May 25 deadly Maoist attack in that state.
"Odisha government will make the demand to the Centre for two battalions of CRPF at the Chief Ministers' meeting on internal security in New Delhi on June 5," state Home Secretary U N Behera said today.
The state government, he said, felt that more security arrangement needed to be made at the border in view of the prevailing situation in Chhatisgarh and the fact that Sukma was close to Odisha's Malkangiri district.
Odisha presently has at least seven battalions of CRPF, six battalions of BSF and one battalion of Cobra jawans, besides the state's own special operation group and general police to deal with the Maoist menace.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik during the day left on a five-day visit to the national capital to attend the Chief Ministers' meeting convened by Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, where threats posed by Maoists is likely to dominate the discussions.
Patnaik is also scheduled to meet Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, official sources said.
