New Delhi: Maoist menace is rearing its ugly ahead again in Odisha and the newly created state of Telangana after lying low for some time with the overall situation in LWE-affected states remaining "fluid", the Chief of the lead anti-Naxal operations force CRPF has said.
Central Reserve Police Force Director General Prakash Mishra said while the focus of anti-Naxal operations continues to be the worst Maoist violence-hit states of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, areas around the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha Border (AOB) and those within Odisha "need more attention."
The ex-Odisha DGP said while Naxal activity in the state had by-and-large cleared up, it is now "coming back" in the Narayanpatna area of Koraput district which borders Andhra.
"There could be many reasons (for this) -- non-application of Standard Operating Procedures or lax policing. The inherent danger is always there...even in Telangana and some places in Andhra Pradesh," the CRPF Chief told PTI.
CRPF is drawing up a map for re-deploying its forces in Odisha with Mishra himself undertaking a number of operational
visits to the state.
"As of now, I would say the situation is fluid but if the drive (operations and development together) continues as it is at the present, then I think, it (Naxal violence) is going to take a turn for the better only. There shouldn't be any let down (in operations and development works) in affected areas," he said when asked to give his assessment of the Left Wing\ Extremism situation in the country.
Mishra, who retires this month-end after heading the country's largest paramilitary for over an year, said this at a time when Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is himself on a tour of these areas in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. The Union Home Ministry has recently sanctioned 1,000 more Border Security Force personnel to Andhra Pradesh for these tasks.
The DG said security forces have made a good "dent" and hit at the strength of Maoist cadres in various states, demolishing the belief that they were "invincible".
"But, you cannot wish away the problem (Naxal violence) till the area under their control is taken back totally. We have to create a development hub in these areas so that after security forces conduct an operation, the gap is filled up by ushering in development works in such areas.
"The idea is that Maoists do not get space to organise themselves back," he said.
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