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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 gains 10 paise to settle at 85.26 against US dollar

  • PTI
  • May 14
  • 2 min read

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Mumbai: The rupee pared most of its initial gains and ended the day higher by 10 paise at 85.26 (provisional) against the American currency on Wednesday, supported by gains in domestic equities and positive macroeconomic data.


Forex traders said the weakness of the American currency in the overseas market and rising appetite for riskier assets amid easing trade tariff tensions boosted investors' sentiments.


At the interbank foreign exchange, the domestic unit opened on a positive note and moved between the intra-day high of 85.05 and the low of 85.52 against the greenback. The unit ended the session at 85.26 (provisional), registering a gain of 10 paise over its previous closing level.


On Tuesday, the rupee reversed early gains to settle flat at 85.36 against the US dollar.


"Bolstered by a weaker US dollar index, cheaper imported commodities, and a prevailing risk-on mood in the markets, the Indian rupee saw gains against the US dollar on Wednesday," said Dilip Parmar, Senior Research Analyst, HDFC Securities.


Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.64 per cent lower at 100.35.


Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, fell 1.10 per cent to USD 65.90 per barrel in futures trade.


The retreat in crude oil prices and the overall softening of the greenback acted as tailwinds, specifically supporting the local currency during Wednesday's trading session, Parmar said, adding that in the near future, the USDINR spot rate is anticipated to find a floor near the 84.90 mark, while encountering upward pressure around the 85.70 level.


In the domestic equity market, the 30-share BSE Sensex advanced 182.34 points, or 0.22 per cent, to close at 81,330.56, while the Nifty rose 88.55 points, or 0.36 per cent, to 24,666.90.


Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth Rs 476.86 crore on a net basis on Tuesday, according to exchange data.


On the domestic macroeconomic front, India's retail inflation eased to a nearly six-year low of 3.16 per cent in April, creating enough room for the Reserve Bank to go for another round of rate cut in the June monetary policy review.


Wholesale price inflation dropped to a 13-month low of 0.85 per cent in April with softening in prices of food articles, fuel and manufactured products.

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