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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.

Caste Tinderbox

The custodial death of Somnath Vyankat Suryawanshi, a 35-year-old law student and anti-caste activist, in Parbhani district jail serves as a grim reminder of the potential for violence and unrest in Maharashtra. Suryawanshi, who had been detained alongside over 50 Dalit Bahujan youths for their alleged involvement in a recent outbreak of violence, died just hours after being sent to judicial custody. The circumstances surrounding his death, particularly the fact that he had been granted bail but died in police custody nonetheless, have sent shockwaves through the state. His tragic demise follows an already tense episode in Parbhani earlier this week when the desecration of a replica of the Constitution triggered violence.


What makes this event even more concerning is that it takes place days before the upcoming celebrations of the historic 1818 battle of Bhima-Koregaon (in Pune district) – an incident viewed as a symbol of Dalit pride. The Parbhani case echoes the tensions of the Bhima-Koregaon riots that erupted in late December 2017 and January 2018 - a period marked by violent clashes and the deepening divide between communities.


At the time, too, Fadnavis was CM. The Bhima-Koregaon riots, which started as a skirmish between Dalit and Maratha groups, quickly escalated into a statewide crisis, exacerbating long-standing tensions between the communities and drawing in national attention. The rioting led to massive damage to property and a hardening of identities in the state, while the state’s handling of the aftermath, including the alleged targeting of activists and intellectuals, raised uncomfortable questions about the state’s response to caste-based unrest.


Now, as he returns to the helm, the lesson for the CM from Bhima-Koregaon is clear: the authorities must be proactive in managing the tensions that frequently flare up around caste-based violence and protests. It is crucial that Chief Minister Fadnavis, who has returned to power in Maharashtra, takes swift action to prevent a repeat of the events of Bhima-Koregaon and ensure that the Parbhani tragedy does not spiral into widespread statewide unrest and spillover to other districts.


Suryawanshi’s death has already sparked protests and outrage, particularly from the Dalit community, who view his demise as another example of systemic police brutality. While the political situation in Maharashtra is far more fluid than in 2018, underlying fault lines remain. The Parbhani violence risks further inflaming tensions between Dalit and upper-caste communities, particularly as caste-based politics continues to shape the discourse in the state.


The Chief Minister must act decisively to ensure that neither the state’s institutions nor political rabble-rousers aggravate the violence. This begins with a full, throrough and transparent inquiry into Suryawanshi’s death.


A takeaway of Bhima-Koregaon is that violence can quickly spread if it is allowed to fester without intervention. A repeat of the 2018 riots must be avoided at all costs. Fadnavis must rise to the occasion, showing that Maharashtra is capable of managing its deep-seated social divisions without allowing them to boil over into violent confrontations.

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