Police are planning to intensify combing operations on the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border and in Agency area of the district following reports of "infiltration" of Maoists from neighbouring Chhattisgarh.
Though police are not forthcoming on the reason behind increased presence of ultras, the assessment of the situation points to the Andhra Pradesh government's move to allow bauxite mining on forest land in Agency area, sources said.
According to rural police, the infiltration was aimed at helping ultras in the region to fight against mining.
"A battalion of Maoists crossed into Andhra-Odisha Border (AOB) and Vizag Agency (sic). We have reports that armed Maoists comprising 500 to 600 activists belonging to Kondh tribe from Chhattisgarh have been entering into agency since January this year," Vizag SP (Rural) Koya Praveen said here today.
He said the Maoists from Chhattigarh were spotted in villages in the Agency area.
They were seen wearing a particular type of earrings by which they could be identified as Primitive Tribal Groups (PTG) from Chattisgarh and they also speak a different language (neither Hindi nor Oriya), he said.
"Though Maoists' activities in AOB and Vizag Agency are under control, we are planning to increase the combing operations due to the increased infiltration from the neighbouring state. As of now, we didn't seek help from additional forces such as CRPF, BSF and others for combing operations as the existing force is sufficient," the SP added.
