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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.

Heavy monsoon rains disrupt normal life; IMD issues red alert in 8 districts

  • PTI
  • May 30
  • 3 min read

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Thiruvananthapuram/Thrissu As heavy monsoon rains continued to cause widespread damage and disrupt normal life in Kerala on Friday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert in eight districts for the day.



The IMD issued a red alert in Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Kannur and Kasaragod and an orange alert in the remaining six districts of the state for the day.



It also upgraded the alert status from orange to red in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts for three hours from 1pm onwards.



A red alert by IMD indicates heavy to extremely heavy rain of over 20 cm in 24 hours, while an orange alert means very heavy rain of 11 cm to 20 cm, and a yellow alert means heavy rainfall between 6 cm and 11 cm.



State Revenue Minister K Rajan said that the heavy rains have caused widespread damage in the state and advised people to be cautious.



Speaking to reporters at a press conference in Thrissur, Rajan further said that as the westerly winds are expected to continue over Kerala for the next five days and due to the possibility of widespread rainfall, caution should be exercised by everyone.



The minister said that if everyone is careful for the next five days, any major crisis can be avoided.



He advised the public to avoid unnecessary trips, especially to hilly areas, and said that those living in dangerous places should move to safer locations or relief camps.



Rajan said that there were 66 camps functioning in the state currently and 1,894 people were living there.



Around 4,000 camps are ready to be opened to accommodate about six lakh people. The public should not be averse to moving there, he added.



He also said that hundreds of homes in the state have been partially or completely destroyed due to the heavy rains and strong winds since the arrival of the monsoons.



The minister said that according to the IMD there is a possibility of heavy rains in all districts of the state in the week from May 30 to June 5 and the amount of rainfall would be more than usual for this period.



In the second week of June also there will be rain in all districts of the state, but it will be less than normal for this period, the minister said.



The Pathanamthitta district administration, in a statement, said that around 200 homes have been partially damaged in the rains and the state-run power distribution company, KSEB, has suffered extensive losses due to damage to high-tension and low-tension poles and transformers.



The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) said that there is a possibility of high waves ranging from 3 to 3.9 meters along the Kerala coast till 5.30 pm on Saturday.



It issued a red alert in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Ernakulam and Thrissur and and orange alert in Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod districts of the state.



It also urged fishermen and coastal residents to be cautious and warned against launching of small boats, yachts or fishing vessels during this time.



During the day, uprooting of trees, power disruptions and waterlogging of low-lying areas and places close to rivers were reported from across the state.



An 85-year-old woman, who worked as an MGNREGA worker in Ernakulam district, died when an uprooted tree fell on top of her while returning home on Thursday evening.



The Ernakulam district authorities also reported a rise in the water level of the Muvattupuzha River above the flood warning markers, leading to the opening of three shutters of the Malankara Dam by 20 centimetres (cm).



In many places in the hilly districts of Wayanad and Idukki, people were moved to relief camps from areas prone to landslides and flash floods.



New camps were also set up in these districts, authorities said.



Meanwhile, the state government said that it has sanctioned Rs one crore each to all District Collectors from the State Disaster Response Fund


(SDRF) for carrying out monsoon preparedness activities.



Additionally, Rs two crore each has been sanctioned to the Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode District Disaster Management Authorities for undertaking flood mitigation works in the cities, the government said.



The government said that it has also sanctioned Rs one lakh to each panchayat, Rs 3 lakh to each municipality and Rs 5 lakh to each corporation in the state to buy necessary equipment and open storage centres as part of monsoon preparedness activities.



On Thursday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had said that the monsoon rains, which arrived early this year, have caused widespread damage in the state and urged those living in areas prone to flooding and landslides to move to safer locations or relief camps.



The monsoons had arrived in the state on May 24, eight days ahead of schedule.

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