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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.

Fadnavis has assets of Rs 13 cr

In his sixth Assembly election, the DCM looks accommodative


Fadnavis

Nagpur: Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday declared movable and immovable assets worth Rs 13,27,47,728 in the affidavit filed along with his nomination papers from Nagpur South West seat for the November 20 assembly polls.


As per his tax return forms, his total income stood at Rs 79,30,402 in 2023-24, while it was Rs 92,48,094 in 2022-23.


Fadnavis declared movable assets of Rs 56,07,867 in his name, Rs 6,96,92,748 in his wife Amruta Fadnavis’ name as well as Rs 10,22,113 in his daughter Divija’s name. As per his poll affidavit, the senior BJP leader has Rs 23,500 cash in hand, while this figure is Rs 10,000 in the case of his wife.


His deposits in bank accounts, including term deposits and deposits in financial institutions, NBFCs and cooperative societies, is Rs 2,28,760, while that of his wife stands at Rs 1,43,717.


Fadnavis has not invested in bonds, debentures, shares and mutual funds but has invested Rs 20,70,607 in NSS, postal savings, insurance policies and financial instruments.


His wife has invested Rs 5,62,59,031 in bonds, debentures, shares and mutual funds, as per the affidavit.

Fadnavis has declared that he has 450 grams gold ornaments worth Rs 32,85,000, while this figure is Rs 65,70,000 (900 grams) for his wife.


The Deputy CM has declared immovable assets of Rs 4,68,96,000 in his name, including agricultural land in Chandrapur, residential building in Dharampeth in Nagpur and several other properties and Rs 95,29,000 in the name of his wife.


Fadnavis has taken loan of Rs 62,00,000 from his wife and has no other loans from banks or financial institutions or pending dues.


He and his wife do not have any vehicle registered in their names.


The senior BJP leader has mentioned that he has four FIRs and four pending cases against his name.

‘Ladki Bahin’ enough to defeat opponents Devendra Fadnavis on Friday filed his nomination from the Nagpur South-West assembly constituency for the November 20 state elections.


Addressing a rally before filing the papers, he said the Mahayuti government’s work speaks for itself, and hit out at the opposition parties, saying the ‘Ladki Bahin’ scheme and its beneficiaries were enough to defeat them.


This is his sixth assembly election. He has been an MLA for the past 25 years starting 1999.


Before filing his nomination form, Fadnavis visited Union minister and former BJP chief Nitin Gadkari’s residence here. Both the BJP leaders then paid floral tributes to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s statue at the Sanvidhan square in the city, followed by a roadshow from there till Akashvani square.


Addressing a gathering at the end of the roadshow, Fadnavis said, “Our work speaks louder than our words. People can see the development in Nagpur -- be it Nagpur Metro Rail, Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Expressway or other development projects that have changed the face of Nagpur.”


The work carried out by the BJP in the last seven-and-a-half years in the state and by the Centre in the last 10 years, has changed the face of Nagpur, he said.


“I won’t talk about the opposition parties as our Ladki Bahin (scheme and its beneficiaries) is enough for them. Congress leaders Sunil Kedar and Nana Patole even tried to stop the Ladki Bahin Yojana by filing a petition in Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court,” he added.


Ladki Bahin is a flagship scheme of the Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti government, under which eligible women get a financial assistance of Rs 1,500 per month.


The Mahayuti government changed the picture of Vidarbha through several projects, including the Gosikhurd irrigation projects, development of Nagpur and Amravati airport and other works.


“The Mahayuti government is creating a new Maharashtra under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is creating a new India,” Fadnavis said. He said his government issued 48 Government Resolutions (GR) for the welfare of the Other Backward Classes (OBC) community, and challenged the Congress to show even one such GR issued during its term. It has also worked for the tribal community and all other sections of the society, he said. Addressing the gathering earlier, Gadkari said what the Congress could not do in 60 years, the Mahayuti government has done in Nagpur and Maharashtra under the leadership of Fadnavis and PM Modi.

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