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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.

Digital Terror

Digital Terror

India’s urban centers are increasingly being rattled by operations of cybercriminals who, equipped with a few scripts and well-crafted impersonations, are upending lives of unsuspecting citizens. This plague, dubbed ‘digital arrest’ scams, is luring individuals into webs of deception through sheer manipulation, stripping them of their savings and their sense of security. Mumbai, Pune, and Hyderabad - cities synonymous with India’s economic and technological prowess - have become primary hunting grounds for these fraudsters.


The recent case of a Hyderabad tech worker, who was held virtually hostage by fraudsters claiming to be Mumbai police, paints a chilling portrait of this new wave of cybercrime. Starting with a pre-dawn call and fictitious accusations of money laundering, these scammers wove a narrative so persuasive that the victim remained on the phone with them continuously for over 24 hours, following instructions to stay hidden. Fake arrest warrants, police documents, and threats were all meticulously deployed to achieve a single aim: siphoning off his savings. It was only a technical glitch in the continuous call that finally freed him from this ordeal - an accidental liberation that could have ended far more tragically. His decision to reach out to local cybercrime authorities averted a financial loss, but the experience left scars nonetheless.


Another high-profile scam involving a 67-year-old woman in Mumbai serves as a grim reminder that age and experience offer no immunity against sophisticated cyber criminals. Posing as government telecom officials, fraudsters threatened her with jail using fake legal documents, ultimately coercing her into liquidating Rs. 14 lakh and transferring it to their account.


Perhaps no scam is as notorious as the Jamtara phishing racket, which claimed crores from unsuspecting citizens across the nation. The perpetrators of these scams had posed as bank officials or customer service agents, requesting critical details from victims under the guise of account verification.


‘Digital arrests’ are only one of many tools in the scammers’ kit. The Computer Emergency Response Team of India reports an explosion in such tactics, where scammers make a living out of fear, ignorance and a fragmented policing system. The psychological manipulation is no accident; criminals deliberately create a sense of urgency, knowing that it impedes rational thinking.


Despite CERT-In’s extensive advisories and awareness programs, the fragmented response among various state agencies has stymied efforts. High-profile cases tend to gain police attention, but countless smaller cases go unreported or are dismissed, with victims often embarrassed or unsure about the legitimacy of their grievances. India must view cybercrime as the new frontier of public safety. Our cities will continue to grow, as will the wealth and data held within them. As digital scams become a fixture in our cities, the response cannot afford to lag. Cybersecurity is not only about preventing crime but about safeguarding citizens’ trust in a digital future.

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