"All the districts have clearly been told to arrange for proper security during meetings of any political personality and especially the MLAs and MPs after Mahato was shot dead yesterday by naxalites in the neighbouring Jharkhand," a top official told PTI in Raipur.

IGP (Law and Order), Raj Kanojia, said here that security forces deployed in West Midnapore and Purulia, bordering Jharkhand, have been instructed to intensify patrolling.

The red alert was sounded following sizeable presence of naxalites in Chhattisgarh as compared to Jharkhand and the situation worse in Bastar, Dantewada regions, the official said.

More precaution should be taken in the naxal infested districts, he said.

Several political leaders, including the Leader of Opposition Mahendra Karma, some Opposition Congress and ruling BJP leaders have received naxal threats, the official said, adding their security has already been reviewed and tightened.

Mahato, Lok Sabha MP from Jamshedpur and General Secretary of the JMM, two of his bodyguards and a party colleague were gunned down by naxals at Bakuria town, where the MP was invited as a chief guest for a football match.

As naxalites prefer to attack political leaders in the presence of scores of people, it had been decided to take extra care and make elaborate security arrangements during any public meeting, the official said.

Police stations along the Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh border have also been put on high alert after yesterday's incident and combing operations have been increased, he said.

Naxalites have presence in 12 out of 16 districts of the state and it is said they have also set up their headquarters in Abujhmad area of Bastar region in Chhattisgarh.