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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.

Nagpur violence: HC stays demolition of houses of two accused, raps admin for high-handedness

  • PTI
  • Mar 24
  • 2 min read

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Nagpur: The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court on Monday ordered a stay on the demolition of the houses of two accused, including Fahim Khan, in the violence case, rapping the administration for "high-handedness".


While Khan's two-storey house was razed before the high court passed the order in the afternoon, authorities halted the demolition of the illegal portions of the other accused Yusuf Sheikh's house following the court's directive.

The duo had moved the high court on Monday against the demolition seeking an urgent hearing.


A division bench of Justices Nitin Sambre and Vrushali Joshi heard the pleas.

The bench questioned why the owners of the houses were not given a hearing before demolishing alleged illegal portions.

The action was taken in a high-handedness manner, without giving a hearing to the owners of the property, the bench noted.


Advocate Ashwin Ingole, appearing for Khan, said the court has sought a response from the government and civic authorities and posted the matter for further hearing on April 15.

The bench said if it comes to the conclusion that the demolition was carried out illegally then the authorities would have to pay for the damage caused, Ingole claimed.


Amid heavy police security, civic authorities on Monday morning demolished Khan's house for unauthorised construction.

Authorities had started removing an illegally constructed portion of Yusuf Sheikh's house in Mahal area, the epicentre of the March 17 violence.


Fahim Khan, a leader of the Minority Democratic Party (MDP), was booked for sedition. He is among over 100 persons arrested for the violence.


A few days back, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation had issued a notice to Khan, citing various lapses and the lack of the building plan approval (for his house), sources said.

At around 10.30 am on Monday, three JCB machines of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation started demolishing his house, located at Sanjay Bagh Colony in Yashodhara Nagar area here, amid heavy security and drone surveillance in the entire area.


The house, registered in the name of Khan's mother, was located on a plot of Nagpur Improvement Trust (Lease) and the lease ended in 2020, a civic official said.


There was no sanction plan for the building and the entire construction was unauthorised, the official said, adding the action was being taken under the MRTP Act.


A notice of demolition was given 24 hours prior to the action, the official said.

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