Malkangiri: Inspector General (IG) of Border Security Force (BSF) Satish Chandra Budakati Thursday said that the BSF is committed to completely eliminating Maoism in Malkangiri where developmental initiatives have gained momentum. “By eliminating the red menace, development can be achieved in the larger interests of the people,” he added.
Addressing a presser at BSF head office in MV-3 village here, the BSF IG said prior to 2010, the undivided Koraput district was affected by Left-wing extremism (LWE).
“The Maoists used to trigger violence, carry out attacks on police, loot arms and kidnap people. Locals used to keep themselves indoors out of fear. People were living in fear while development work had come to a halt. The BSF was deployed in the undivided district at a critical time,” he observed.
He asserted that in the last 11 years, the BSF has achieved great success by eliminating Maoists with help of people. In 10 years, the district has been put on the track of development and the credit is given to our security forces, he added.
After construction of much-awaited Gurupriya Setu, 152 inaccessible villages in the district have been connected with roads while schools, mobile towers and a number of developmental works have been done, he added.
However, Maoists from outside the state sometimes stray into Krushai Dangari and Jantri areas to terrorise people. However, people could take part in the recently-concluded panchayat elections in a free and fearless atmosphere in the district, he observed.
In days to come, the administration would take up more development works with complete annihilation of Maoism, he said.