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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

Gadchiroli SP declares Maoist menace ‘almost over’

Mumbai: In a resounding statement signalling a historic shift, Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police (SP) Neelotpal has declared the district, once the dark heart of the ‘Red Corridor,’ is on the verge of becoming completely free of the Naxal menace. The SP expressed absolute confidence in the complete eradication of the banned CPI (Maoist) presence, noting that the remaining cadres have dwindled to a mere handful. “There has been a sea change in the situation,” SP Neelotpal stated,...

Gadchiroli SP declares Maoist menace ‘almost over’

Mumbai: In a resounding statement signalling a historic shift, Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police (SP) Neelotpal has declared the district, once the dark heart of the ‘Red Corridor,’ is on the verge of becoming completely free of the Naxal menace. The SP expressed absolute confidence in the complete eradication of the banned CPI (Maoist) presence, noting that the remaining cadres have dwindled to a mere handful. “There has been a sea change in the situation,” SP Neelotpal stated, highlighting the dramatic turnaround. He revealed that from approximately 100 Maoist cadres on record in January 2024, the number has plummeted to barely 10 individuals whose movements are now confined to a very small pocket of the Bhamragad sub-division in South Gadchiroli, near the Chhattisgarh border. “North Gadchiroli is now free of Maoism. The Maoists have to surrender and join the mainstream or face police action... there is no other option.” The SP attributes this success to a meticulously executed multi-pronged strategy encompassing intensified anti-Maoist operations, a robust Civic Action Programme, and the effective utilisation of Maharashtra’s attractive surrender-cum-rehabilitation policy. The Gadchiroli Police, especially the elite C-60 commandos, have achieved significant operational milestones. In the last three years alone, they have neutralised 43 hardcore Maoists and achieved a 100 per cent success rate in operations without police casualties for nearly five years. SP Neelotpal highlighted that the security forces have aggressively moved to close the “security vacuum,” which was once an estimated 3,000 square kilometres of unpoliced territory used by Maoists for training and transit. The establishment of eight new police camps/Forward Operating Bases (FoBs) since January 2023, including in the remote Abujhmad foothills, has been crucial in securing these areas permanently. Winning Hearts, Minds The Civic Action Programme has been deemed a “game changer” by the SP. Through schemes like ‘Police Dadalora Khidaki’ and ‘Project Udaan’, the police have transformed remote outposts into service delivery centres, providing essential government services and employment opportunities. This sustained outreach has successfully countered Maoist propaganda and, most critically, resulted in zero Maoist recruitment from Gadchiroli for the last few years. Surrender Wave The state’s progressive rehabilitation policy has seen a massive influx of surrenders. “One sentiment is common among all the surrendered cadres: that the movement has ended, it has lost public support, and without public support, no movement can sustain,” the SP noted. The surrender of key figures, notably that of Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias ‘Bhupathi,’ a CPI (Maoist) Politburo member, and his wife Sangeeta, was a “landmark development” that triggered a surrender wave. Since June 2024, over 126 Maoists have surrendered. The rehabilitation program offers land, housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, and employment. Surrendered cadres are receiving skill training and are successfully transitioning into normal life, with around 70 already employed in the local Lloyds plant. A District Reborn The transformation of Gadchiroli is now moving beyond security concerns. With the decline of extremism, the district is rapidly moving towards development and normalcy. The implementation of development schemes, round-the-clock electricity, water supply, mobile towers, and new infrastructure like roads and bridges is being given top priority. He concludes that the police’s focus is now shifting from an anti-Maoist offensive to routine law-and-order policing, addressing new challenges like industrialisation, theft, and traffic management. With the Maoist movement in “complete disarray” and major strongholds like the Maharashtra-Madhya Pradesh-Chhattisgarh (MMC) Special Zone collapsing, the SP is highly optimistic. Gadchiroli is not just getting rid of the Naxal menace; it is embracing its future as a developing, peaceful district, well on track to meet the central government’s goal of eradicating Naxalism by March 31, 2026.

Cash Cricket

Updated: Nov 29, 2024

The IPL mega auction, once a mechanism for building teams, has evolved into an unapologetic display of cricket’s commercialization. Recently, the gavel fell in Jeddah with a record-shattering bid for Rishabh Pant, sold to Lucknow Super Giants for Rs. 27 crore, making him the most expensive player in the league’s history. Pant’s price tag eclipsed the earlier record set moments before when Punjab Kings shelled out Rs. 26.75 crore for Shreyas Iyer. The spectacle reeked not of cricketing merit but of a bidding frenzy where franchises flexed their financial muscles in pursuit of stardom.


The sums are staggering. On the first day alone, franchises spent Rs. 467.95 crore to buy 72 players, making millionaires of many in mere minutes. Auctions have always been a highlight of the IPL, but their evolution from modest beginnings to today’s theatrical extravaganza reflects a profound shift in cricket’s priorities.


While the IPL’s defenders tout its global appeal and revenue-generating prowess, the league’s relentless commercialization has cast a long shadow over cricket’s purist format—Test cricket. Test matches now seem like an afterthought to many players brought up in the T20 era. Young cricketers, seduced by the financial windfall of IPL contracts, are increasingly prioritizing the shorter format, often at the expense of mastering the techniques that are the bedrock of Test cricket. Batsmen struggle to build long innings, bowlers are optimized for death overs rather than endurance, and fielding techniques are tailored for acrobatic catches rather than consistent precision.


The rise of cricket mercenaries—players who hop between leagues for the highest bidder—has further eroded the sport’s traditional ethos. Consider the careers of players like Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard, who excelled as globe-trotting T20 stars but left only fleeting legacies in Tests. Even promising talents from cricketing powerhouses such as India, Australia and England now risk being pigeonholed as T20 specialists.


Historically, cricket’s icons were defined by their exploits in the longest format. Test cricket-built legends, honing skills that translated into true greatness. Today’s players often find themselves at the mercy of IPL schedules, sacrificing preparatory time for bilateral Test series or domestic tournaments. Even fitness regimens are adapted for the high-octane demands of T20 cricket.


Some argue that the IPL has democratized cricket, enabling players from small towns to share dressing rooms with international stars. While this is true, the league’s structure perpetuates a mercenary mindset. The very auction that enriches players also ensures their loyalty is to franchises, not cricket boards or national teams. The IPL’s triumph is cricket’s tragedy. By reducing the sport to a glittering spectacle of cash and celebrity, it has turned cricketers into commodities. While the IPL may have enriched careers, it has impoverished cricket’s soul.

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