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.

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