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Bhubaneswar: The Orissa government, which has stopped combing operations against Maoists, has no plans to withdraw central paramilitary forces or police from areas dominated by the Naxals, official sources said Wednesday. This was decided at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
The state government would not withdraw forces though it announced a halt in combing operations since February 20 following abduction of Malkangiri district collector R. Vineel Krishna and junior engineer Pabitra Majhi, a senior home department official said.
Despite poster campaigning by ultras in many parts of the state including Koraput and Malkangiri, no untoward incident has been reported during the past 10 days, he said, adding the government had decided to adopt a policy of "wait and watch" before taking any further step.
"According to commitments made to the mediators, the state government will not take any coercive step till peace prevailed," Chief Secretary B.K. Patnaik said earlier. Besides 12 battalions of central paramilitary forces (7 battalions of CRPF and 5 battalions of BSF, adequate number of Orissa Police's elite anti-Naxalite force - special operation group (SOG), India Reserve Battalion (IRB), District Voluntary Force (DVF) and special police officers (SPOs) were also deployed for anti-Maoist operations.
Now with the state government deciding not to execute green hunt operation, these forces would keep a watch on the movement of Maoists and their activities, the official said. "Presence of BSF and CRPF in Naxal-hit areas is itself an indication that the state government will act if required," he said.
The state government would not withdraw forces though it announced a halt in combing operations since February 20 following abduction of Malkangiri district collector R. Vineel Krishna and junior engineer Pabitra Majhi, a senior home department official said.
Despite poster campaigning by ultras in many parts of the state including Koraput and Malkangiri, no untoward incident has been reported during the past 10 days, he said, adding the government had decided to adopt a policy of "wait and watch" before taking any further step.
"According to commitments made to the mediators, the state government will not take any coercive step till peace prevailed," Chief Secretary B.K. Patnaik said earlier. Besides 12 battalions of central paramilitary forces (7 battalions of CRPF and 5 battalions of BSF, adequate number of Orissa Police's elite anti-Naxalite force - special operation group (SOG), India Reserve Battalion (IRB), District Voluntary Force (DVF) and special police officers (SPOs) were also deployed for anti-Maoist operations.
Now with the state government deciding not to execute green hunt operation, these forces would keep a watch on the movement of Maoists and their activities, the official said. "Presence of BSF and CRPF in Naxal-hit areas is itself an indication that the state government will act if required," he said.