Cops get clue of Sabyasachi’s jungle whereabouts

--release his sketches, declare reward for informants

PARLAKHEMUNDI: The Odisha police along with joint forces on Saturday launched one of the biggest manhunt in the tri-junction area of Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamal district to nab the dreaded Maoist leader and Odisha Maobadi Party chief Sabyasachi Panda. Meanwhile, the police on the same day released a wanted poster of Panda declaring reward for information about him.

On Saturday morning, top police officials including CRPF DIG JPK Roy, Southern Range DIG RK Sharma and Ganjam SP Ashish Singh reached Mohana in Gajapati district and conducted a two and a half hours closed-door discussion with top cops of the district about operation Sabyasachi.

The police officials said that they would nab the Maoist leader at any cost, if he does not surrender before them unconditionally. They would not leave any stone unturned, they added.

More than 300 police personnel were deployed in the search operation and more CRPF jawans would join with them, said a senior police official. Even helicopter would be used in the operation, he informed.

According to a confidential source, the police personnel got the clue of Sabyasachi’s whereabouts in the jungle. Therefore all the police personnel were up in arms from either sides of the jungle to nab the Maoist leader, the sources said.

“We have engaged our joint forces in several places of the jungle to nab the Maoists. Our force and officials have kept strict vigil on the medicals and clinics near the jungle areas of the border districts,” said DIG Sharma.

Meanwhile, the Gajapati police on Saturday released a wanted photo of Sabyasachi declaring monetary reward for the informants. Recently, the police had released the sketches of six aides of the Maoist leader declaring reward. The posters in this regard were pasted in the Mohana area of Gajapati district.