"We have sealed the border with Chhattisgarh in Orissa's Bargarh district and launched a massive combing operation in the area," chief secretary B K Patnaik told mediapersons after Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik reviewed the law-and-order situation in the state.
Noting that the state police force was mobilised at certain entry points in Bargarh district bordering Chhattisgarh, the chief secretary said that senior policemen were monitoring the situation. The state government's action came in the wake of an intelligence report from the neighbouring state on the influx of ultras into the Orissa border.
"Though the Chhattisgarh police informed that as many as 35 ultras had sneaked into the Orissa border in Bargarh district, we expect the number could be more as the Saturday's encounter site was only nearly 8 km," said a senior police officer, who attended the review meeting.
Besides, the police also expedited anti-Maoist operation in other districts like Malkangiri, which had common border with Chhattisgarh, sources said. The police force of both the states were jointly working to flush out ultras taking shelter after Saturday's gunfight.
