Now, Maoists spreading base in coastal districts

BHUBANESWAR: The arrest of Gouranga Charan Jena, said to be a Maoist who was involved in several operations, from Panchupali village in Jagatsinghpur district has established the fact that Left wing extremism (LWE) is spreading its base in the State easily.The Naxalites, who were earlier based in southern and western districts, have entrenched themselves firmly in coastal districts. The arrest of one of their hardcore members from Jagatsinghpur district has made it clear that the area has become a hotbed of Naxalite activities.However, police have turned a blind eye to the increased activities of the ultras. Even after the Nayagarh incident on February 15 and arrest of two wanted ultras from Erasama area in the last two months, the State Government is yet to declare Nayagarh and Jagatsinghpur districts as the Naxalite-affected.Criticising the State Government for its failure to check the increased activities of the ultras, a senior Congress leader alleged that it has become complacent. Less number of incidents compared to Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand does not prove that the Naxalites are not active here, he said and warned that if not checked in time they will become entrenched in industrial pockets of the State in the coming days.Besides, four killings within the last two months in Malkangiri and Rayagada districts have left the police worried.Lower-level functionaries of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) were mostly killed by the ultras. Political observers believe that this may affect the campaigning of the BJD in the coming months as the grassroots level functionaries have become scared.Even though the ultras do not have any inclination towards any political party, targeting functionaries of a particular political party would definitely have an impact on its organisational preparedness.The BJD leadership is now busy chalking out a strategy to counter the challenge politically and organisationally