Date:28/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/28/stories/2008122860291100.htm

National

Naveen wants CRPF retained

Special Correspondent

BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday wrote to the Central government to retain the 38 companies of Central Reserve Police personnel in Kandhamal district till January end.

Mr. Patnaik wrote the letter to Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram seeking the Centre’s nod to allow continuation of the deployment of the CRPF to maintain law and order in the troubled district.

The CRPF companies should continue to be on duty in Kandhamal till the affected families returned to their respective villages, Mr. Patnaik said.

The Chief Minister also wrote about the activities of the naxalites in Kandhamal.

The Supreme Court had earlier ordered that the CRPF deployment in Kandhamal should continue till the end of December.