Bhubaneswar, June 15 -- Police and forest officials intensified surveillance and search operations in the Kulba forest area of Odisha's Sundargarh district following reports of suspicious movement by unidentified persons, sources said on Monday.

The operation is being carried out jointly by the police, the Forest Department and the District Voluntary Force (DVF), with drones being deployed to scan the dense forest region.

The development comes amid suspicion that maoists, who are reportedly scattered from neighbouring Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, may have taken shelter in the Kulba forest. However, the authorities have not confirmed any Maoist activity in the area so far.

According to reports, villagers spotted a few youths moving aroun...