The Srikakulam Police department has proposed a strong telecom and road network in remote areas all along the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border to curb Maoist activity.
Senior officials of the department feel, the State, which at present is free of Maoist activity, may feel the heat in the event of intrusion from Odisha.
District Superintendent of Police A.S. Khan reportedly urged Director-General of Police J.V. Ramudu to convey the suggestion to the State government so that it could take up developmental activities by releasing funds to the departments concerned such as Roads and Buildings and the Integrated Tribal Development Agency.
Check-posts
He has also proposed withdrawal of all pending warrants against Maoists who surrendered long ago. “More check-posts will be set up to identify suspicious persons and sympathisers of Maoists in border areas,” said a senior official.
The department has already identified Tuvva Hill range as most vulnerable place on the A.P.-Odisha border and the authorities are focussing on the area to prevent possible activity of the extremist groups. Tuvva Hills, covered with dense forests, are located in the stretch between Battili and Kottur, which are in the limits of Srikakulam district. They are also in the vicinity of Saluru, Neelakanthapuram and other areas which are very close to Koraput district of Odisha.
The police stations in Battili, Kotturu, Sithampet, Bhamini and other places have been strengthened with additional forces to take on Maoists in future. The Police Department has got reliable information that the banned organisation is trying to regain foothold in the district, where the Naxal movement started in 1969.
According to sources, Maoists formed the Odisha-Srikakulam committee recently to intensify operations. It prompted the district administration to deploy additional APSP forces in Dhonubhai, Kotturu, Battili, Meliyaputti, Mandasa, Kasibugga, Vajrapukotturu and other areas. The police administration has been interacting with the locals in border areas to discourage youngsters from joining the Maoist movement. The officials recently conducted medical camps in Polla of Sithampet mandal, Maniga in Bhamini mandal to win the hearts of locals.
