Security Battalion Proposed for Jails in Maoist-Hit Areas

Outlook, March 11, 2011
With the Maoists unleashing violence in 17 districts of the state, a standing committee of Orissa Legislative Assembly on home department today recommended creation of a security battalion to guard 16 jails in naxal-affected areas and 8 other highly sensitive prisons.


Maoists maintain significant influence in pockets of Malkangiri and Koraput districts in south Orissa and in areas bordering Saranda jungle in Rourkela police district, the committee observed.

It said that the out-lawed outfit was also trying to open up new fronts in Orissa-Chhatishgarh border by expanding its activities to districts like Nabarangapur, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Bolangir and Baragarh.

"The outfit is also trying to consolidate in Mayurbhanj district bordering West Midnapore district of West Bengal," the committee cautioned the state government in its report tabled in the Assembly today.

Stating that as many as 179 Maoists were arrested till November 2010, the committee suggested that adequate security needs to be placed around jails housing hardcore ultras.

The committee said that the new battalion for jails could be created by taking tribal youths from among the special police officers (SPOs).

It also suggested the state government to waive any income ceiling for families to get rehabilitation due to killing of their men in naxal attack.

Though the government has decided to provide rehabilitation assistance to the next of the kin of police personnel killed in naxal attack but due to income ceiling fixed, most of the genuine beneficiaries could not avail assistance, it said.

The committee headed by senior BJD MLA Ramesh Chandra Chyau Patnaik also suggested creation of an economic offence wing for investigation of economic crimes like investment, deposit related fraud, land related forgery and fraud, job rackets, bank fraud and credit card frauds.