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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.

Legacy vs Incumbency

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As the Maharashtra elections draw ever closer, the clash between political legacy and incumbency will redefine the political landscape in Nashik district’s Malegaon Outer Assembly segment.


The political arena in Malegaon Outer pits the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT)’s (oppsoiton MVA’s) candidate Advay Hiray against veteran cabinet minister Dada Bhuse from the ruling Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, seeking re-election for a fifth straight term.


The stakes are high as both candidates carry the weight of their respective legacies into a constituency that has witnessed significant political shifts over the years.


Dada Bhuse, a stalwart of the Shiv Sena and a fixture in Maharashtra politics since 2004, has navigated his share of controversies, including serious allegations stemming from the 2001 Malegaon riots. Despite a chequered past, Bhuse has maintained a stronghold over the Malegaon Outer Assembly seat, touting his record of development projects that have transformed the constituency. His tenure has seen the completion of key infrastructure projects. That said, he will be fighting against the headwinds of anti-incumbency sentiments.


Enter Advay Hiray, scion of a prominent political family with deep roots in Maharashtra. The Hiray clan, once synonymous with grassroots politics in the region, has struggled to maintain its relevance over the past few decades.


Advay is the great-grandson of the late Bhausaheb Hiray, a distinguished Congress leader from North Maharashtra who served as a minister in successive cabinets. The Hiray family has a storied political legacy, with other notable members, such as Pushpatai Hiray and Adya’s father - Prashant Hiray, also having held elected office and ministerial roles across various administrations.

Once, Malegaon stood as a bastion of Hiray influence; however, this stronghold was gradually usurped by Bhuse, who supplanted the Hiray clan, who, by this time had fragmented owing to internecine political rivalries.


Advay’s switch to Shiv Sena (UBT) from the BJP in January 2023 was strategic and came at a time when Uddhav Thackeray was trying to rebuild his splintered party in north Maharashtra. Advay himself has faced serious legal troubles, including an arrest related to a cooperative bank fraud.

And yet, he is now positioning himself as the candidate of change against Bhuse’s established regime.

Malegaon Outer, a mix of urban and rural demographics, faces pressing challenges that extend beyond individual candidates. The area is grappling with economic struggles, particularly among onion farmers who have been hit hard by recent export bans, and ongoing demands for improved infrastructure and local governance.


Complicating the contest in Malegaon Outer is the emergence of Bandu Bachhav, a young leader who, after being passed over for a Sena (UBT) ticket, is running as an independent. With a robust local network, Bachhav is poised to siphon votes from both Bhuse and Hiray, potentially tipping the scales in this tightly contested seat.


As the election date draws near, the race in Malegaon Outer is not just about two candidates but a reflection of broader political currents in Maharashtra. Will Advay Hiray’s legacy help reclaim the Hiray family’s lost prominence, or will Bhuse’s experience and established network hold strong against the winds of change?

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