Report by Deba Prasad Dash; Malkangiri: Maoists tried to show up their presence by compelling the private owners not to ply their buses between Jeypore-Govindpalli-Malkangiri today, the first day of their week-long martyr’s week celebration.

Though the deployment of Border Security Forces at Kasighat on Malkangiri-Jeypore state highway has prevented the rebels from blocking the road there by felling trees, the Maoist fear which looms large over the area has forced the owners to keep their vehicles off the road.

The Government buses also remained off the road as the OSRTC authority suspended the plying of all its buses on the route as a preventive step to avert any untoward incident during the week. No major incidents of violence were reported.

There were no vehicles plying between district headquarters town of Malkangiri to places like Chitrakonda, Kalimela, Motu and Padia.Security personnels were on high alert at the Maoist strongholds to meet any eventuality during the week long celebration.

Police personnel’s, both in uniform and civil were frisking the vehicles and commuters’ at all the entry and exit points in the town. The district border adjoining neighbouring Andhra Pradesh has been sealed, police sources said.

The entire southern Odisha districts, including Malkangiri has been put on high alert. Most offices in these districts had thin attendance today.