Report by Deba Prasad Dash, Malkangiri: If a report that came from many villages bordering neighboring Andhra Pradesh and Chhatisgarh today is to be believed, top Maoist leaders have arrived in the region last night to pay respect to their leaders during the martyr’s week. The red rebels along with hundreds of their tribal supporters and sympathizers were congregated at the martyr domes erected temporarily in many remote villages under Kalimela, Motu,Chitrakonda,M.V-79 and Orkel police limits yesterday and paid respect to the killed Maoist cadres including central committee leader Azad whom they claims martyrs amid singing of revolutionary songs, dance and shouting slogans.

Mean while, the week long celebration that began from had its impact on vehicular traffic in Malkangiri, Koraput, and Nabarangpur and Rayagada districts of South Orissa Yesterday. The inter-state public and private transport communication to and from the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and vehicular traffic between Malkangiri-Govidpalli-Jrypore, Malkangiri-Balimela-Chitrakonda, Malkangiri-Kalimela-Motu, and Jeypore-Rayagada reportedly came to a standstill today, the first day of the celebration. Though there were no road blockades on these routes by the rebels, all the vehicles, both government and private remained off the road.Consequently, the people of the region faced a lot of problems due to lack of communication modes as the buses and went off the road . The attendance of the employees in the various government offices situated at the Maoist strong hold of Kalimela, Motu, M.V-79,Podia, Chitrakonda, Govindpalli, Khairput, Mathili was also affected as the vehicular traffic remained thrown out of gear on the day.

Mean while, security arrangements have been steeped up in the South Orissa including Malkangiri, said to be the Maoist hotbed in view of the Martyrs week. Police personnel’s are frisking the vehicles at several entry and exit points in Malkangiri,Koraput,Nabarangpur and Rayagada to prevent the possible entry of the red rebels during the celebration. A high alert has been sounded in the district as the celebration began yesterday.