MALKANGIRI (ORISSA), FEBRUARY 25: With barely a dozen cases being registered every year at the local police station, this may sound like an island of peace. Nestling in the lap of verdant forests and the Chinna Godavari river on the Andhra Pradesh border, Motu tehsil in Malkangiri, the district worst-hit by Naxalism in Orissa, is far from idyllic — it is one of the origin points of the Red Corridor in the state, the den of Naxalites.

Motu is also a transit point for Naxalites from Andhra Pradesh who cross the Sileru and Saberi rivers and then fan out across the state. Only the local tribals can walk in Motu without any fear. An outsider, a government official or even a policeman is always at risk here. Locals say nobody can enter Motu without the Naxalites getting to know. Four-wheelers are never used for fear of landmines and even riding a two-wheeler is risky.

But a police station does exist in this den of radicals. While Naxalites have been looting and rampaging police stations across the state — the latest being in Nayagarh about 90 km from Bhubaneswar — Motu police station has somehow survived. There has been only one attack on the police station — way back in August 2001 when two policemen were killed. But even then, the attack was successfully repulsed by security personnel. There have been periodic gunbattles outside but the Naxalites have not ventured in ever since.

Well-equipped with weapons like LMGs, INSAS, AK-47s and grenade launchers, these policemen have been keeping the Naxalites at bay but there is little to show when it comes to arrest of Naxalites, their sympathisers or evidence of Naxalites killed in operations. The prime aim of the policemen is to keep themselves alive and protect the police station.

“If we have to go to Malkangiri district headquarters (110 km away), we have to be heavily armed and in groups. It is like an anti-Naxalite combing operation every time we venture out of the police station. If we are not careful we could be ambushed,” said a constable.

Motu police station has one inspector and four police constables. But then there are men of the Special Operations Group, CRPF, Orissa State Armed Police, District Voluntary Force. Citing security concerns, nobody reveals the numbers nor do they allow photography on the premises. The police station has a decent building, comprising five rooms, and a well-stacked armoury, ready for any emergency.

But it’s a tough posting — the policemen can only interact amongst themselves or watch TV for a few hours when there is electricity. Their living quarters are in need of urgent repairs. Though there is a BSNL telephone tower in Malkangiri district, Motu police station does not have a land line phone. If the inspector in-charge has to communicate with his seniors or even the Malkangiri SP, he has to use his personal cellphone. There is a satellite telephone for the district, but it is with the district collector — unlike neighbouring Andhra Pradesh where there is a satellite phone in every police station.

Though the Balimela hydro-electric project is in Malkangiri, there is no electricity for hours together in the district. In summers, day temperatures can go up to 45 degrees Celsius.

The tribals have no need for the police station. This probably explains the low number of cases being registered in the police station. Says a constable, “The annual average number of cases is about 15 and most pertain to murder. And in these cases too, most are filed by the police against unknown persons.” The information network in Motu, like in other parts of the state, is clearly not very active. An officer said it is because informers here are paid only about Rs 2,000 as against five times that figure in neighbouring states. “So the best we can do is to be on the lookout,” he said.

How do they survive in these conditions? “Barely and being constantly on our toes.” They have to make do with rice, dal and vegetables from a kiosk-hotel nearby. The CRPF men have made cooking arrangements for themselves in their living quarters. Non-vegetarian food has to be brought from the Malkangiri district headquarters and that too on specific days like Wednesdays and Sundays. The SP’s office has sought sanction for a mess but nothing has happened until now. There is no recreation facility — old magazines are the only company.

A transfer may be the only way out of Motu but most who are locals are transferred only within the district. At best, they are transferred to neighbouring Koraput, another Naxalite-infested district. But there is a transfer within the district every two years.

Malkangiri district has 11 police stations, three of them non-functional after they were destroyed by Naxalites. The district has sanctioned a civil police strength of 117. Of this, 49 posts are of sub-inspectors but 34 are vacant. Similarly, 11 of the 57 posts of ASIs are vacant and 27 constable posts need to be filled. Malkangiri SP S K Gajbhiye told The Indian Express: “Nobody wants to come here.”

•Naxalism in Orissa was revived in 1996 by Sabyasachi Panda

•Naxals now hold sway over 12 of the state’s 30 districts

•Successive Orissa govts did very little to deal with Naxals. But the looting of police stations, the most recent being the attack at Nayagarh which left 15 policemen dead, saw CM Naveen Patnaik promise a stronger police machinery

•Naxals opposing development projects. Despite tenders being cleared five times, project for a bridge over Sileru river in Motu has not taken off