Beleaguered Maoists step up expansion programme

Maoists have stepped up their expansion drive in western Odisha and the trijunction of Karnataka-Tamil Nadu-Kerala, a latest assessment by the ministry of home affairs (MHA) has revealed.

Maoists have stepped up their expansion drive in western Odisha and the trijunction of Karnataka-Tamil Nadu-Kerala, a latest assessment by the ministry of home affairs (MHA) has revealed.

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“The sustained campaign against Naxals in their strongholds of Sukma, Bijapur and Narayanpur in Chhaittisgarh, Gadchiroli of Maharashtra and Saranada forest of Jharkhand has forced the Maoists to expand in new areas,” said a senior security officer.

According to the assessment, Maoists are pushing in the western Odisha districts of Bolangir, Bargarh, Naupada and Nabarangpur. They also held a large meeting in Pardarha village of Naupada, which was attended by their four central committee members.

Besides Odisha, Maoists have been trying to new front in area around tri-junction of Karanataka-Kerala-Tamil Nadu for the last many years. The security forces have seen renewed Maoist activities in this region this year.

The MHA assessment also shows that in the first three months of the current year more Maoists have been killed in comparison to the security personnel than in the same period in last year.

In the first three months of last year, 53 security personnel had been killed, while the figure for Naxals killed in clashes with the security forces and their own breakaway factions stood at 20.