Bhubaneswar: The Orissa government on Tuesday
said it was contemplating to launch a joint offensive along
with Central para-military forces against Maoists active in
southern and western districts of the state.
"Our Special Operations Group personnel have plans to
launch a joint combing operation along with central forces
against Maoists," Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik told reporters
here on his return from Delhi.
Patnaik, who met Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, said
that he had asked for seven additional battalions (about 7,000
personnel) of central para-military forces and a helicopter
for the joint operation.
The chief minister had earlier said Maoists were active
in southern districts like Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada and
Gajapti.
Patnaik, however, did not specify where the proposed
joint operation would take place. His earlier statement
indicated that the offensive was planned in southern
districts.
The chief minister also said that he had demanded a hike
in the security related expenditure for police modernisation
in Maoist-hit districts.
Bureau Report
First Published: Tuesday, September 29, 2009, 22:30