In a bid to disrupt poll process in Swabhiman Anchal (earlier known as cutoff area) of Malkangiri District of Odisha, Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres detained four motorboats and around 12 staffs on April 10 and 11, reports The Pioneer. As per reports, the Maoists detained two motorboats on Wednesday (April 10) and two more on Thursday (April 11) assuming that these watercrafts might be used by Government functionaries during elections. The Maoist cadres snapped the waterway connectivity between Kunturpadar, Panasput and Sindhiput in the Swabhiman Anchal zone. Later on, the Maoists released all the motorboats and the staffs in late Thursday evening.
Meanwhile, Maoist banners and posters were recovered from near the Nrusinghnath Temple under Paikmal block of Bargarh District of Odisha on April 11, reports The Pioneer. The Maoists, through the banner and posters urged local people to not to cast votes due to the failure of both the State and Central Governments for development of the area. On Wednesday (April 10) midnight, they had displayed leaflets and banners on the road stating that the Government has failed to initiate irrigation projects and prevent farmers’ suicide and the rising cases of rape. The Bargarh Police removed the banners and posters and launched a search operation in the area to arrest the cadres.
Separately, a hardcore Maoist, identified as Bharat Kanhar, carrying cash reward of INR 100,000 on his head, surrendered before the Superintendent of Police (SP), Pratik Singh, in Kandhamal District of Odisha on April 16, reports Odisha Sun Times. Kanhar has been an active member of Kalahandi-Kandhamal-Boudh-Nayagarh (KKBN) Division of Maoists since 2018, and was involved in several cases of violence, murder and exchanges of fire with security personnel.Kanhar said that he took the decision to give up arms as he was unhappy with the activities of the Maoist outfit.