BSF to step up patrolling along Orissa's 'red zone'

Jolted by killing of four people in three days in Maoist-hit Koraput district, Orissa government today decided to expedite patrolling by BSF. 

"BSF jawans will be asked to step up patrolling in areas close to their camps in Koraput," Orissa home secretary UN Behera told reporters in reply to a question on the role of the CPMF in the southern districts.

While three battalions of BSF jawans were deployed in Malkangiri, two other battalions had been put into service in Koraput.

Stating that steps were being taken in accordance with the decision of the unified command formed to guide anti-Maoist operation, the home secretary said Orissa was expecting a helicopter soon to track movement of rebels in dense jungles of southern districts.

Though five BSF battalions (about 2700 personnel) were camping in Koraput and another southern Maoist-affected district Malkangiri for about six months, the central paramilitary force (CPMF) was yet to take on the rebels who had unleashed a reign of terror in the districts killing people branded as police informers.

CRPF personnel were also engaged in anti-Maoist operations with the state closely monitoring the Maoist activities in certain pockets.