Villagers gave vital info to cops

Residents of Panasput, a remote village in the “cut-off area” of Chitrakonda reservoir and nerve centre of Maoist activists, were the key architects behind the success of the joint operation of the Andhra Pradesh and Odisha police, which left 27 rebels dead on Monday.

The “cut-off” area is a cluster of 150 villages separated from the mainland by two reservoirs.

Having been disillusioned with the Maoists and immensely benefitted by the mass outreach programme launched by Malkangiri police under the leadership of superintendent of police Mitrabhanu Mohapatra, the villagers passed on vital information to the police about the arrival of the rebels for a plenary session.

Sources said the Odisha police shared the intelligence passed on by the villagers with its Andhra Pradesh counterpart, which prepared a strategy to launch a “fullproof” ambush on the rebels.

The information was passed two days before the ambushed was launched, people familiar with the matter said. The rebels have started losing grip in many districts.