Maoists on wane as cadres, tribals desert camp

The Pioneer, Jan 21, 2013
Three separate groups of tribals from Nachika Linga's village last week reached the Narayanpatna police station and expressed their solidarity with the administration. They made it clear that they should not be considered as sympathisers of the Maoists anymore.  Narayanpatna, considered as the second Lalgarh by the administration, has marked the fall of an empire built brick by brick by the Red rebels. While Nachika Linga was taking shelter in the dense jungles of Koraput district, his erstwhile supporters faced tough times.




The innocent, poor tribals have now realised that they suffer in the tussle between the police and the Maoists. Top Maoist leader Ramakrishna, who was in-charge of Maoist operations in the district, has also been feeling isolated, security experts suggest.

Both Nachika Linga and Ramakrishna used tribals as their shields to protect themselves. Laxmipur MLA Jhina Hikaka was abducted last year reportedly by Nachika's men and later handed over to the Ramakrishna group obviously with some help from local villagers.

The State Government, which seemed to be worried over the Maoist menace, has, however, remained silent. It seems that the State administration has no specific action plan ready to reap the benefits of such a situation.

Since there has been a sea change in the mindset of the people, who used to protect a number of armed Maoists, the Government must take them into confidence and take steps to liberate Narayanpatna completely, feel security experts.

The Maoist menace as a whole has certainly declined in the State after reaching a peak recently. Odisha's top Red rebel Sabyasachi Panda has been rendered all but defunct after being expelled from the main Maoist party. His supporters have started deserting him. With the massive presence of Central forces, the ultras have been forced to retreat.

Time has come for the general administration to swing into action and expedite development activities to win the confidence of the people and recapture the areas once dominated by the rebels, it is felt. According to sources, there were only 400plus ultras operating in the State, of whom a majority has been restricted to their hideouts. They operate under the various regional units like the Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC), Bihar-Jharkhand-North Chhattisgarh Special Area Committee (BJNCSAC), Odisha State Unit (OSU), Chhattisgarh-Odisha Border State Committee (COBSC), Dandakaranya Zonal Committee (DZC) and Bengal-Jharkhand-Odisha Border Committee (BJOBC).

While three divisions of the AOBSZC are active in Malkangiri and Koraput districts, the operational area of the BJNCSAC is the districts of Sambalpur, Deogarh and Sundargarh.

With Sabyasachi Panda neutralised, the OSU's operational area has remained largely free of violence while the Kalinga Nagar Division is almost nonexistent these days. The COBSC, the most powerful unit, is active in Nuapada and Balangir areas. The BJOD too has not been seen in action for a long time now.

However, the rebels are still active in Koraput, Malkangiri, Bargarh, Balangir and Nuapada districts. "These areas are certainly a cause for concern for the police," a top cop engaged in anti-Maoist operations said.

The police administration has reasons to be happy as there has been no Maoist violence in 2012 in five districts, Nayagarh, Mayurbhanj, Dhenkanal, Jajpur and Sambalpur. The years 2011 and 2012 witnessed the surrender of a good number of rebels. While 50 ultras surrendering in 2011, their number was reduced to 34 in 2012. The police also arrested 167 rebels in 2012 compared to 146 in 2011.

Looking at the statistics, the number of "badly-affected" districts has come down to just two, Koraput and Malkangiri while seven districts are "highly-affected" and six others "moderately-affected".

However, though there has been no Maoist violence in five districts in 2012, the rebels are found to be consolidating their base in districts like Nabarangpur, Nuapada, Balangir, Bargarh and Kalahandi on the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border. "A special action plan is needed to deal with the Chhattisgarhi red rebels," a top police officer said.

He said that under the changed circumstances, the police and the administration must focus on districts like Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Nuapada, Balangir, Bargarh and Kalahandi. A redeployment of central forces in these areas is the need of the hour. The Government must also keep a close watch on districts like Rayagada, Kandhamal and Gajapati, where the Panda group is active, besides the minerals-rich Keonjhar district, he said.

"We are planning to withdraw forces from certain pockets," DGP Prakash Mishra recently told the media. However, the police are yet to take any such step even as the Centre too has suggested undertaking similar action to concentrate on areas heavily infested by the Maoists.

The State is presently having about 14 battalions of Central forces (about 10,000 personnel) comprising BSF and CRPF jawans in addition to the State's own Special Operation Group (SOG) to counter the ultras.

The Union Home Ministry has issued advisory to all affected States to beef up security preparedness and response in view of an anticipated escalation in the Maoist activities in the coming summer months.

The advisory has been issued in the light of the Tactical Counter Offensive Campaign (TCOC) carried out by the Maoists during summers in which security forces witness a lot of movement of these groups and an increased risk of attacks. The TCOC is undertaken till the month of June while the Maoists begin their preparations around February.

Meanwhile, Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh has also categorically said that the Dongaria Kandhas of Kalahandi and Rayagada region are the new target of the rebels. He has suggested several developmental proposals to win the confidence of the people in underdeveloped places. The people there fall prey to the Maoist evil design. Ramesh has also identified the Sunabeda sanctuary in Nuapada district as the hotbed of rebels. The rebels operate in Kalahandi, Nuapada, Balangir and other nearby districts out of their base in this wildlife sanctuary.