Orissa: Industrial Zones Vs Naxalite Liberated Zones Part-I

The Naxalite/Maoist movement in Orissa is gaining momentum gradually along with the State government’s proposed industrial zones. The red rebels have virtually set up ‘liberated zones’ along with industrial hubs in Orissa by adopting a new line of operations by mixing up both democratic and violent means to consolidate their position in these areas. Both the means are being used considering the geographical, social and political situations on the ground. As far as tribal regions are concerned, Naxalites are using violent means to maintain their support base. This phenomenon increased in the post-Nayagarh attack period, while the state police took the help of villagers to gather intelligence.

Like Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, the Naxalites in Orissa have been adopting tactical counter-offensive operations to counter police initiatives in tribal regions. They have killed at least eight police informers in Rayagada and Malkangiri districts in the last three months, throwing a major challenge to the security forces. They also (Maoists) killed seven persons, including four village headmen (peda) in Malkangiri. The Naxalites feel that headmen have been creating obstacles in the recruitment drive and also working in tandem with the police. They organized a meeting in the Gajapati district immediately after the Nayagarh operations (February 2008) to target some village headmen who had been working as informers and had warned them not to entertain police in the villages. Traditionally, the Pedas resolve village-level disputes and are involved in village development programs. Since the Naxalite movement has spread to new regions, the peda system created obstacles in the recruitment drive.

However, frequent combing operations, killing and arrests of cadres after the Nayagarh incident have made the Naxalites more reactionary. They have been adopting terror tactics to regain control in that region. Moreover, the new tactic is being adopted in Malkangiri because Andhra Orissa Border Special Zonal Committee secretary, Sudhakar, has taken leadership responsibility for the Mottu armed squad, which operates in the Mottu region of Malkangiri district since April this year. 

The Naxalites have been virtually running parallel government by creating a political vacuum, either killing village headmen or driving out influential persons from the villages. Their domination was reflected when the Naxalites called a four-day strike in Malkangiri district (on 22 May) in response to the killing of two Naxalites in mid-May 2008. Apart from village headmen, the Naxalites have been targeting contractors for levy. As a result, many development projects are affected due to Naxalite fear. For example, the Janbai bridge on the Gurupriya River in the Malkangiri districts has been delayed for eight years due to Naxalite activities. The situation worsened while the Gammon India private limited refused to work on that project due to security reason.

Interestingly, the Naxalite also do not allow Construct Bridge on the Sileru River, which will connect Dantewada and Malkangiri. The Naxalites have been prohibiting the construction of these two bridges because of police access to the Chitrakonada region. The project cost of these two bridges has increased from 80 crore to 100 crore. 

While southern Orissa has been facing the brunt of Naxalites, an attack in northern Orissa is very imminent since the Naxalites use “uproar in south and attack in north” tactics. Around 70-80 Naxalites in three groups are roaming around the K Bolang border areas of Sundargarh district and Karampada area close to the Sarenda forests of Jharkhand. Similarly, another group has been moving around the Baunsjor area of Jharkhand closer to Biramitrapur police station for Sundargarh. The third group is camping near Raikera of Jharkhand, just 10 kilometres from the Nuagaon area of Sundargarh district. It is believed that the Maoists may capture the Mohanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) mines. The Naxalites are supporting trade unions in the coalfields. According to sources, a few days ago, an unspecified number of arms, including land mines, bullets, LMG, INSAS rifles and some gelatin sticks, are supplied from Sarenda forest to Orissa’s Sundargarh district. Considering cadre movement and arms supply, a possible attack on police stations or government installations is imminent. They might attack the MCL because the MCL failed to pay the monthly levy to the Maoists. 

According to an interrogation report of an arrested Naxalite, Kamal Kant Sethi, the CPI-Maoist has formed new divisions both in tribal and coastal areas to execute their plans effectively. They have expanded their network with full vigour. The newly formed Ghumusar division in Ganjam district was carved out in 2007, while the Kalinganagar division in Jajpur district and Sambalpur division are fully functional with the newly recruited cadres. Interestingly, the Jajpur division was formed near the proposed industrial corridor of the State government. There are around 15 armed cadres in that division. Similarly, the Sambalpur division manages operations in Sudargarh and Keonjhar districts, where both the POSCO and Mittal groups have applied for their proposed steel plants captive area. Besides Mittal, more than 48 mining companies are also active in Keonjhar district. 

Naxal activity has recently increased in many places like Anadapur, Ghasipura, Ghatagaon, Badbil, Harichandanpur, Daitari, Telkei and Joda area of Keonjhar district. Out of 20 police stations in the districts, Maoists have a presence in nine police stations. The Naxalites organized a meeting at Atei and Rebna forests in April 2008. Strategically, the Naxalites have identified Keonjhar districts as funding zones. They collect massive amounts of extortion money from various mining companies in the district. Other factors that motivated the Naxalites to consolidate in Keonjhar districts are- The Mittal project in the Patna area, strong police action in the Sarenda forest, ineffective policing and poor law and order situation in Keonjhar, frustration among masses due to corruption, injustice, and failure of administration to provide basic social infrastructure in rural areas, presence of mining mafia and increase in crime, strong police action in Sambalpur area and Naxalite urban strategy.

This is the first part of an article series on Naxalite Menace. Read the second part here.