The operations were concentrated around the Sunabeda Sanctuary bordering Chhatisgarh where the body of assistant subinspector, Kruparam Majhi, was found with three gunshot wounds yesterday, Deputy Inspector General of Police (South-West), Soumendra Priyadarshi said.
Describing the area in the backward district as a Maoist hotbed, the DIG said the killing of the tribal police officer proved that the Maoist claims of working for tribals and the poor was hollow.
"The combing operation has been intensified by security personnel in Sunabeda Sanctuary area," he said.
Forces have been deployed at strategic points to prevent movement of the extremists on the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border.
The slain ASI was accorded a guard of honour at the Reserve Police Lines here.
The last rites were performed with full state honours at his home village of Beltukri, about 20 km from here, police sources said.
The 44-year-old ASI of Dharmabandha outpost, was escorting a water tanker to a CRPF camp at Goudha with a constable on a motorcycle when they were stopped by a group of about 30 armed Maoists yesterday.
While the constable fled, the Maoists took away the ASI at gunpoint and shot him dead.
