Orissa to get more central forces to fight Maoists

Calcutta News.Net
Tuesday 9th February, 2010

Orissa would get three more battalions of central paramilitary forces to fight the Maoist menace in the state, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said Tuesday.

'The union home minister (P.Chidambaram) has assured us to provide three more battalions of central paramilitary forces for western and northern Orissa besides the five battalions for southern Orissa to combat the naxal menace,' Patnaik told reporters after returning from the chief ministers' conference held in Kolkata to fine tune strategy in dealing with Maoists.

The state had sought five more battalions of paramilitary forces for northern Orissa.

'Maoists believe in violence and are not ready to shun violence. We will have to deal Maoists with force,' Patnaik said.

The state has already raised 2,000 special police officers (SPO) from among the tribal youth to fight the Maoists in the state.

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