Saturday, August 20 2005 15:09 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bhubaneswar: Orissa has sounded an alert along its inter-state border with Andhra Pradesh where the Congress-led Government has re-imposed the ban on Naxalites.

It has been done on the apprehension that the left wing ultras, facing the heat in Andhra Pradesh, might cross over into the southern districts of the state, official sources said today (Aug 20, 2005).

Security forces had been instructed to maintain close vigil on the border but there was no proposal as yet to impose any ban on the Left wing outfits in Orissa, the sources said.

Naxalites in the past entered into the deep jungles of Rayagada, Gajapati, Koraput and Malkangiri districts for shelter when hounded by the police and anti-Naxalites forces in Andhra Pradesh but many had returned after the short-lived peace process began last year.

It was important to check the transportation of arms and ammunition into the state by the extremists and all vehicles plying across the inter-state border are being searched, the sources said.