Koraput (Odisha): With the surrender of Chasi Muliya Adivasi Sangh (CMAS) leader Nachika Linga, police hope to make its anti-Naxal drive more effective in Maoist-hit Narayanpatna area of the district.
"Maoists have taken advantage of CMAS' influence over tribals. Anti-Maoist operation will be intensified in the region in the coming days," south western range IG Y K Jethwa said on Sunday.
The IG expressed hope that extremists would now surrender and return to the mainstream.
Nachika, Odisha's most wanted tribal leader, surrendered on October 28.
Though, Nachika has never been officially described as a Maoist leader, the manner in which his supporters agitated with red flags in hand and red bands on their head on several issues, police suspect CMAS as a cover for Maoists to spread their network.
"Certain activities of CMAS matched with the functioning of Maoists. We have also intelligence inputs that hilly and dense forest in Narayanpatna, adjoining Andhra Pradesh, regularly hosted Maoist training camps," police officials said.
