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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.

Rupee falls 37 paise to close at 85.96 against US dollar

  • PTI
  • May 22
  • 2 min read

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Mumbai: Rupee depreciated 37 paise to close at 85.96 (provisional) against the US dollar on Thursday, on dollar demand from importers and foreign banks as well as surge in crude oil prices.


Forex traders said surging US bond yields are rattling global investors. Moreover, the narrowing yield differential between India and the US, is making Indian assets less attractive.


Besides, elevated crude oil prices amid rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, further dented investor sentiments.


At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 85.59 then touched an intra-day high of 85.58 and a low of 86.11 against the US dollar. The domestic unit settled for the day at 85.96 (provisional), lower by 37 per cent over its previous close.


On Wednesday, the rupee settled at 85.59 against the greenback.


In the last three trading sessions, the rupee has declined 54 paise.


"The Indian rupee has ebbed for a third straight session, influenced by importers' appetite for the dollar and the unwinding of short positions after a key technical level was breached," said Dilip Parmar, Senior Research Analyst, HDFC Securities.


Parmar further added that "a prevailing inclination towards risk aversion, alongside carry trades involving the Japanese yen, additionally exerted downward pressure on the domestic rupee".


Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading higher by 0.25 per cent at 99.80.


Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, fell 1.45 per cent to USD 63.97 per barrel in futures trade.


"The spot USDINR rate has retraced to its 100-day simple moving average in today's session. Advancement beyond the 86.11 threshold might propel it into the 86.30 to 86.45 spectrum. Conversely, the 85.60 mark now acts as a prospective support," Parmar said.


In the domestic equity market, the 30-share BSE Sensex declined 644.64 points, or 0.79 per cent, to close at 80,951.99, while the Nifty fell 203.75 points, or 0.82 per cent, to 24,609.70.


Foreign institutional investors bought equities worth Rs 2,201.79 crore on Wednesday.

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