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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.

Mahayuti meeting put off; Govt formation delayed

Updated: Dec 2, 2024

Shinde heads to his village; Uday Samant says he is unwell not upset

Govt formation delayed
Govt formation delayed

Mumbai: A key Mahayuti meeting scheduled on Friday was put off and likely to take place on Sunday now as outgoing Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde headed to his native village, delaying government formation a week after poll results.


The ruling alliance's meeting was expected to be convened in Mumbai on Sunday, said sources in the Shiv Sena, which is headed by Shinde.


Leaders of the BJP, the largest Mahayuti constituent, said they were awaiting arrival of central observers for the legislature party meeting.


The swearing-in of the new government is expected to take place next week, the sources said.


Shinde, speaking to reporters in New Delhi on Thursday night, had said talks with Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah on government formation were positive and the next round of discussions will be held in Mumbai on Friday.


However, BJP sources maintained no gathering of Mahayuti leaders was scheduled for Friday.


During his Delhi trip, Shinde had met Shah and discussed formation of the next government in the state. His deputies in the outgoing state cabinet Devendra Fadnavis (BJP) and Ajit Pawar (NCP) had also met the senior BJP leader.


Shinde returned to Mumbai on Friday morning and according to Shiv Sena sources, he left for his native village Dare in Satara district in western Maharashtra in the evening.


Shinde was at the Chief Minister's official residence 'Varsha' in South Mumbai where he met a stream of visitors, including party leaders and MLAs.

The Shiv Sena leader has repeatedly said he would not be an obstacle in the government formation and abide by the decisions taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah on the next chief minister.


Different viewpoints are emerging in the Shiv Sena over Shinde's place in the next government after the BJP-led Mahayuti posted a thumping win in the just-held assembly polls.


Many leaders in the Shiv Sena are asking Shinde to accept deputy CM's post if offered by the BJP. However, another section feels it wouldn't be right for him to accept No. 2 position after serving as CM for more than two-and-a-half years, the sources said.


BJP MLAs haven't got any intimation about a legislature party meeting, where they will elect their leader.


Fadnavis also returned to Mumbai on Friday after meeting Shah in Delhi over government formation.


State BJP leaders held informal discussions and sources said the state unit was awaiting arrival of central observers.


Shinde, Fadnavis and Pawar had also met BJP president J P Nadda and Shah on late Thursday to thrash out a power-sharing pact for the next government in Maharashtra.


In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat said if Shinde doesn't accept the deputy CM's post in the new government, then it will be given to someone from their party.


Talking to reporters, Shirsat said Shinde will certainly not go to the Centre as a Union minister.


"If Shinde does not accept the deputy CM's post, then some other leader from our party will get it. He (Shinde) will take a call on this by evening,” said Shirsat, who retained his Aurangabad assembly West seat.


Shirsat's party colleague Shamburaj Desai said their MLA-elects and party workers strongly feel that Shinde should be a part of the new government.

Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar said he hoped that if Fadnavis returns as chief minister, he will erase the tag of doing "politics of revenge" he had been associated with.


"He will have a free hand (as CM) as crutches will be dependent on him and not vice-versa. I hope (as CM) he works for Vidarbha as he is son of the soil (Fadnavis is an MLA from Nagpur)," he said.


"Politics is an ideological fight and not a personal battle," the Congress leader asserted.

-With PTI

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