Naxal crime graph declines, anti terrorist squad proposed

Vijay Deo Jha

Ranchi

Reviewing law and order and anti-naxal operation in Jharkhand, the state police claimed ration of Maoist related violence has come down by 50 percent in Jharkhand in comparison with previous years.

The state police have proposed to set-up a specialized anti-terrorist squad in Jharkhand owing to the fact that in the last couple of years Jharkhand has emerged as sleeping cell for terrorist modules.

“We are satisfied over ongoing naxal operation. Maoists are on retreat. The number of Maoist related violence has gone down,” Jharkhand Police DGP Rath told the Pioneer after the meeting, on Friday.

Asked further about anti-naxal operations in Jharkhand Rath said that extra forces will be deployed in bordering area to contain Left extremism. “Anti-naxal operation has to be consolidated further. We have intelligence in-put that Maoists are trying to regroup themselves,” he said.

Talking about proposed formation of anti-terrorist squad Rath said that others states like Maharashtra have formed a separate police wing to counter terrorism. “We will discuss the aspects of the proposed squad. But I can say that the best hands from ancillary units will be picked-up for this job.”

But despite statistical claim of fall in naxal related incidents Khunti and surrounding areas has kept top police bosses on tenterhook where the graph of naxal related and general crime registered a vertical rise in the past few months.

Sources in police attributed couple of reasons saying that the crime graph has risen because of group rivalry among splintered naxal group. “Off course we are worried. It is one of the top concerns. Around half a dozen splintered groups are operating in area who regularly clash with each other. We have discussed these matters in details,” a top official said.  

EoM