Rourkela: As the first phase of the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Odisha draw near, Maoists are trying to make their presence felt in the state, sources stated here Wednesday. This development has prompted security forces to remain on high alert.
Even then, Maoists are putting up posters and banners in various parts of Sundargarh district warning people to refrain from voting. Officials informed Wednesday that Maoists had put up posters and banners at Renjda, Bhalulata and Balijore villages under K Balang police station limits in the interiors of Sundargarh district, Tuesday night.
On being informed police and security personnel visited the three villages and removed those Wednesday. Most of the posters warned people of serious consequences if they exercised their electoral rights. The posters read ‘oppressors of farmers, labourers and the working class should not be elected, but persecuted’. Similar posters had been found at Goilkera village in Jharkhand just across the border only a couple of days back.
During a combing operation in and around the village, security personnel had discovered three bunkers, each big enough to accommodate 20 people. They also seized 350 detonators from the three bunkers, officials informed. Among other materials seized were Maoist literature, walkie-talkies, canned food and ammunition. “The bunkers had probably been built as hideouts for the cadres,” an official stated.