Orissa CM writes to Chidambaram: Central forces needed till Sept 30

The Maoist attack on a police outpost in Kandhamal last week triggered tension causing a worried chief minister write to Centre demanding the restoration of central forces withdrawn from the state.

Chief Minister of Orissa Naveen Patnaik on Saturday shot a letter to Home Minister P. Chidambaram demanding the deployment of forces till September 30.

Referring to the July 17 incident when a group of Maoists attacked a police outpost at Katingia in Bamunigaon area and set off an explosive devise that damaged the station, the chief minister in his letter, said that Kandhamal was a naxal-infected area and the Centre must responsibly extend the central forces.

Furthermore, Patnaik said the tribal Kandhamal was last year hit by severe communal violence and the Centre pulling the forces in a phased manner was putting the victims at risk. He also mentioned that Naxalites had attacked a forest beat house near Daringbadi and triggered landmine blast.

In the letter, the chief minister demanded an additional seven companies of CRPF for other naxal-hit districts.

Earlier, a total of 55 companies of the paramilitary forces were deployed to bring the anti-Christian violence under control in Kandhamal last year.

The number was subsequently reduced after violence came to a halt and several thousands returned to their villages.

The forces were to be completely withdrawn by May. But with several pleas from the state government, the MHA agreed to retain the forces till June-end and later till July 13.