top of page

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 for votes: FIR against Tawde

Tawde

Mumbai: The police on Tuesday registered a case against BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde and party candidate Rajan Naik in connection with the alleged distribution of cash to voters at a hotel in Palghar.


Hours before the Assembly polls, BVA leader Hitendra Thakur accused Tawde of distributing Rs 5 crore at a hotel in Virar to woo voters, a claim the BJP leader denied, saying he was only providing guidance to party workers on poll procedures.


A viral video showed BVA party supporters barging into the Virar hotel room and flinging bundles of cash at Tawde’s face before police escorted him out.

Based on a complaint lodged by the Election Commission, the Mira Bhayander-Vasai Virar (MBVV) police registered a first information report against Tawde and Rajan Naik, who is contesting the polls from the Nallasopara seat.


The deputy commissioner of police MBVV said, ‘They are taking action against whatever happened in the hotel. The press conference held on the premises was also illegal. We will take action as per law.’


After a ruckus of over three hours at the hotel, Hitendra Thakur, his son Kshitij, Tawde, and BJP candidate Naik decided to hold a press conference at the hotel. However, as the press conference started, it was stopped by poll officials stating it was illegal.


“I was informed by a BJP leader that he (Tawde) has come to distribute this huge cash. I could not believe that such a key national functionary of that party will do so, but sadly it turned out to be true,” Thakur told a Marathi news channel. “In the hotel today, cash, diaries and laptops (related to the alleged cash distribution) were recovered. The diaries mentioned names and the amount given to them,” Thakur said.


Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray took a “note jihad” jibe over claims of Tawde distributing money hours before voting for the Maharashtra assembly elections.


“Is this BJP’s note jihad (for votes)? ‘Baatenge aur jitenge’ (will distribute cash to win). Entire Maharashtra has seen it (a video showing bundles of cash). Maharashtra will decide tomorrow,” Thackeray told reporters.


“Tawde was lauded for toppling governments in some states and helping to form new ones. Now the secret behind this has come out in the open,” Thackeray said.


Rs 9.93 lakh recovered

The district authorities in Palghar on Tuesday said that a police team comprising senior officials recovered Rs 9.93 lakh cash and some incriminating documents from the hotel.


District collector and election officer Govind Bodke said the election department received complaints from BVA activists that some BJP workers were distributing cash at a hotel in Virar.


The collector, in a recorded message, confirmed that cases were registered for offences, including possession of cash, violation of the model code of conduct, and holding illegal press conferences.


The BJP rejected the allegation of distribution of cash to voters by one of its senior leaders in Maharashtra’s Palghar, claiming the opposition camp is trying to influence the election with such “absurd” accusations sensing defeat in the state assembly polls.


BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi termed Thakur’s allegation as “laughable, baseless and absurd”, and alleged that the opposition camp is making such an accusation out of “frustration and despair” sensing their imminent defeat.


Charges ‘baseless’: Tawde; wants EC to conduct impartial probe

Vinod Tawde called the charges against him as “baseless”, and urged the Election Commission to conduct an impartial probe into the matter.

He said there was no question of him distributing money to voters, and claimed that he was only discussing election-related issues with the party workers.


In his statement Tawde said his visit to the hotel was for a casual meeting with BJP candidate Rajan Naik. “While returning to Mumbai from Wada (in Palghar), I received a call from Rajan Naik who invited me for tea at a hotel in Vasai where party workers had assembled. After I reached the place, we naturally discussed election-related matters, particularly technical processes for polling day and precautions to take.


Suddenly, some workers from another party entered and surrounded me, shouting loudly. I later learned they were from the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA).”


Tawde said he then called BVA chief Hitendra Thakur, urging him to control the situation. “I contacted Hitendra Thakur and requested him to restrain his party workers. Both he and (BVA) MLA Kshitij Thakur arrived at the hotel. After a brief discussion, I left with them in the same vehicle to defuse tension,” he said. Tawde said, “There is no question of me distributing money. I was merely meeting our workers over tea and discussing election-related issues. These allegations are baseless.”

Comments

bottom of page