Maoists regrouping in Saranda?

ROURKELA: In the wake of Maoist attack on Friday, regrouping of Maoist forces has the security forces, manning the Orissa-Jharkhand border, on their toes.The ultras last struck in a big way in the first week of December 2010 when five villagers in the Bonai subdivision were killed. Five months later, they struck again on Friday mid-night by blowing up the railway track and setting vehicles afire.Police said the alleged encounter killings of four armed cadres, including two area commanders, in the second week of February and arrest of over 60 Maoists in recent times, had made an impact on the Maoists as three of them have even surrendered.However, blame it on the laxity of the State Government, the anti-insurgency operations almost came to a halt. The Chhota Nagpur Zonal Committee of the outfit managed to rejuvenate itself.During Friday’s incident, a group of Maoists including militia members from Jhirpani and Topadihi villages stayed at Chunaghati for more than five hours.A few months back, the villagers of Topadihi and Jhirpani had sought support of the Sundargarh administration for jobs. With no help coming, some of them reportedly joined the outlawed outfit.DIG (WR) Y K Jethwa shrugged off reports of Maoists regrouping and said police are working on a strategy which also includes augmenting development process in the neglected areas.As the Rourkela Police have stopped venturing into the Maoist hub of Saranda forest in Jharkhand, all hopes are now pinned on the Jharkhand police.The DIG added that there was an excellent coordination with their West Singhbhum (Jharkhand) counterparts and hoped for better outcome.