In a chilling reminder that confirms recent intelligence reports that the Naxals had consolidated their position while armed operations against them were suspended during the recent high-profile kidnappings in Orissa, the Maoists on Tuesday killed an abducted assistant sub-inspector of police, Kruparam Majhi, in the state’s Nuapada region.
The victim was kidnapped on Tuesday morning while he was on his way to a CRPF camp escorting a water-tanker. His body was recovered later in the evening by the local police.
Sources among security agencies here pointed out it was clear that the Maoists had kidnapped Majhi with the intention of killing him and to send out a strong signal that they can hit the security forces at will. State police officials claimed that the Naxals also want to disrupt the supply of essential commodities to the CRPF which has been carrying out combing operations in the area.
State police chief Manmohan Praharaj said, while another constable, Deba Narayan Sahoo, managed to escape, the Naxals caught Majhi. The Naxals then took him to a nearby forest and pumped three bullets into his head and chest.
Even as chief minister Naveen Patnaik condemned the brutal killing, the Union home ministry has sought a report from the state government.
What is significant is that it is suspected that Majhi was killed by a group of Naxals from Chhattisgarh and not the cadres of Orissa-Andhra committee that normally operates in that region.
This, senior security officials argue, is extremely important as armed operations against the Naxals in Orissa were suspended for more than a month during which period the Naxals from neighbouring states shifted base to Orissa to avoid any confrontation with the security forces.
“There are intelligence reports that Naxal cadre, particularly from Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Andhra, crossed over to Orissa to cool their heels. Today’s incident is not just a lesson for the Orissa government but all Naxal-affected states that they simply cannot go soft against red terror,” a top official of the paramilitary forces said.