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Naxalites declare southern Orissa 'liberated'

Imran Khan in Bhubaneswar

The People's War Group has declared large parts of hilly and forest areas of southern orissa as 'liberated zone', official sources in the state home department said on Wednesday.

Even the state intelligence reports have confirmed that the People's War Group had declared the areas bordering Andhra Pradesh and Orissa as 'Liberated AP-Orissa Border Special Zone'.

The Upalada incident early this year in Gajapati and the recent encounter in Malkangiri are said to be fallouts of the declaration of 'liberated zone'.

The PWG had declared it a 'liberated zone' after gaining popular support among the tribals, who constitute majority in these areas, sources said.

Police sources said Naxalites are very active in Orissa's southern districts of Gajapati, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur and Raygada, which lie along the border with Andhra Pradesh.

It is said that Naxalites are running a parallel government, particularly in the interior parts of these districts.

However, in view of the increasing activities of the Naxalites, Orissa government has sought central assistance, including paramilitary forces to combat their activities.

"We have requested the central government for the deployment of Central Reserve Police Force in Malkangiri and clearance is awaited," Director General Of Police N C Padhi said.

As part of the new strategy to prevent Maoists from entering town limits, armed police have been deployed along the Orissa-Andhra Pradesh border. The police have also been given powers to launch offensive operations, Padhi said.

In their latest attack last week, Maoist guerrillas had gunned down five policemen after storming two police stations in the tribal-populated Malkangiri district of south Orissa.

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