The Odisha government has decided to make Malkangiri Maoist-free, police said on Saturday, urging left-wing extremists (LWE) to join the mainstream.
The appeal by the state police comes a week after villagers killed a Maoist member and injured another.
During his maiden visit to the LWE-hit area, Odisha DGP Abhay said, "The state government has already decided to make the area as Maoist free and therefore making elaborate development plan for it."
"Therefore, I appeal to Maoists to shun violence and join mainstream, he told reporters at the Malkangiri district headquarters town after the visit.
On January 25 night, residents of Janturai village stoned a Maoist member to death and left another critically injured as the ultras were opposing road construction and other developmental activities in their village.
Malkangiri SP RD Khilari said that the people, who supported Maoists out of fear, now feel liberated due to heavy deployment of police force as well as ongoing developmental activities.
The DGP said that state government has decided to further expedite the developmental activities in the Maoist den and deploy more forces to boost morale of the local residents.
He suggested the personnel of the central armed forces as well as the state police to behave friendly with the local people in order to win confidence of the villagers.
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