Odisha to seek additional forces to combat Maoist problem

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government will reiterate its demand before the union government for additional two battalions of central forces to tackle the Maoists problem in the state.

After chairing a high-level meeting on anti-Naxal strategy at the state secretariat here, chief secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi said that Odisha would demand extra security forces to tackle the Maoist situation.

“We would seek two battalions of additional central forces and infrastructure development including better mobile connectivity, road connectivity in the Maoist-affected areas during the meeting with the union Home Minister,’’ said Padhi.

Notably, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will hold an anti-Naxal meeting on May 8. The meeting will be attended by Chief Ministers, chief secretaries, Director Generals of Police (DGPs) of 10 Maoist-hit states.