Faced with repeated assa-ults by the CPI (Maoist), the Orissa government has conveyed to the Centre its keenness to hand over two Maoist-related cases to the National Investigation Agency.
The NIA has been asked by the Union home ministry to step in to probe the alleged use of Chinese wireless sets by Naxalites in Orissa. The NIA is also, for the first time, being asked to investigate the killing of a BSF officer in an IED blast carried out by the Maoists in Malkangiri in February this year. The BSF, extensively deployed in anti-Naxal operations in the state, has asked the MHA to hand over the case to NIA demanding speedy investigation into the BSF commandant’s killing.
The NIA will also take over the case related to the seizure of a huge cache of “state-of-the-art” Chinese communication gadgets by the BSF in Koraput in Orissa in December last year.
The recovery of such sophisticated gadgets from the Maoist dens indicated that the Naxalites’ network had expanded tremendously and the outfit had forged linkages with insurgent groups in the north east.
The home ministry, subsequently, got reports from security agencies establishing Maoists’ links with the north-eastern insurgent groups, mainly the People’s Liberation Army of Manipur that is active in procuring sophisticated gadgets and weapons from Chinese smugglers.
A closed-door meet of home ministry, Intellige-nce Bureau and DGPs of Central armed police forces during the hostage crisis in Orissa, which ended last month, had spelt out the need to involve the NIA in probing Maoists network spread across states and having cross border linkages.
Orissa has been reeling under the Maoist hostage crisis after BJD MLA Jinna Hikkaka and two Italians were taken captive by the rebels and released only after the state government gave in to their demands.