Maoists are once again active in Sambalpur

combing operation

The activities of red ultra have once again begun in Sambalpur district after a gap of about two years. This becomes evident from the exchange of fire between armed police and Maoists on Saturday near the Kuleijharan jungle under Kisinda police station area of Sambalpur district. Confirming the firing Sambalpur SP Nikhil Kanodia said exchange of firing was took place between police and Maoist while police were in combing operation in Gaigoth village near the Khukleijharan jungle on Saturday morning. The SP Kanodia revealed that about 35 members of the red ultras fired at the police personnel during the combing operation and they fled away to the deep jungle when police personnel started firing on them. The police busted a camp where accommodation of about 35 persons was made. Police also seized several items including medicines and edible stuffs from the camps.

“We suspected 30 to 35 members including 4 to 5 females were in the group who fled away after the incident leaving their belonging in the camp. We seized several uniformed, medicine, cooking utensils, sanitary napkins, 3 Tiffin bombs and edible stuff including rice and dal from the camp”, Kanodia said while briefing the incident before the media people. According to him about 200 rounds of firing between Maoist and police was made during the exchange of firing.

On the other hand, the IG of police (northern division) Sambalpur RP Koche said this was the outcome of the strict police action on the Maoist. SOG, CRPF and armed police force of the district were engaged in the combing operation in the Jujomora and Kishinda area over the past two days. However he informed that police operation would continue in the district till elimination of the red ultras from the district. 

Sources said, Maoist activities were in peak in bordering area of Sambalpur and Debagad district over the past few years. Taking the benefit of torrential and hilly forest, Maoist group was active in the region till 2008-09. But due to strict police action and inter-dispute among the cadres, police arrested more than 39 Maoists including few cadre leaders during that period. The activity of Maoist was completely silent in Sambalpur district after busting of several Maoist camps. An incident that took place in June 2009 was the final battle between the police and Maoist in Sambalpur district. In the incident one senior police officer Narasingh Mahakud was shot dead putting a challenge to the entire police force of the district.  “The red terror took several attempts to reorganize the activities in the district but due to continuity of police action, it was difficult for them to re-establish in the district”, The SP Kanodia said.  “We suspected Maoist leaders wanted to re-organize their base in the district. But it will never going to happen again in the district”, SP Kanodia said. He revealed that it was the decision of central committee of the outfit to revive the Sambalpur-Debagad zonal committee under the leadership of the cadre leader Girish Mahato of Jharkhand and Kunu Dehuri of Sambalpur”. 

“We suspected  Girish Mahato of Jharkhand and Kunu Dehuri of Sambalpur who were engaged in reorganize the outfits in Sambalpur.