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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.

The gimmick behind Malik’s forced candidature

Updated: Oct 30, 2024

The Mahayuti is trying to clean the tainted NCP leader by pitting him against controversial Abu Azmi

Abu Azmi

Mumbai: Though the BJP and its leaders vociferously opposing candidature of NCP leader Nawab Malik for the November 20 Assembly election, it is now revealed that pitting Malik against Samajwadi Party leader Abu Asim Azmi is a game plan of Mahayuti leaders.


After deciding to stay with the Ajit Pawar-led NCP after the split, Malik suddenly announced his decision to contest the election from a neighbouring constituency. Now, he is entering the fray from the Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar assembly seat against Samajwadi Party leader Azmi. This has raised many eyebrows in the political circle and the BJP leader Ashish Shelar promptly reacted and said that his party is against the candidature of NCP leader Nawab Malik.


Malik, who has been representing the Anushakti Nagar constituency, will be replaced by his daughter, Sana Shaikh, who was earlier part of Sharad Pawar’s faction after the split, but has now decided to join her father. NCP has announced Sana’s candidature from Anushakti Nagar. This will be her electoral debut. Nevertheless, Malik contesting from Anushakti Nagar is a calculated move of the Mahayuti leaders.


According to sources, the leaders of Shiv Sena, BJP and the NCP strongly feel that Malik is the only person who can check Abu Asim Azmi who is representing Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar for the last three terms. Ajit Pawar himself gave the nod to Malik’s candidature, sources added.


Interestingly, Malik was in the Samajwadi Party for several years.


The population of the Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar Assembly constituency is predominantly Muslim and believed to be around 58 percent. Maharashtrians, North Indians, South Indians and Dalits form the remaining 42 percent. Against this backdrop Malik is being regarded as a tough opponent for Azmi. The Samajwadi neta comfortably won the seat even when the Narendra Modi wave swept the country in 2014. In the last election, Azmi’s victory margin was 25,613 votes. Malik has made it clear that he will submit the nomination papers on October 29.


Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Friday named Sana Malik as the candidate for the Anushakti Nagar assembly constituency. Sana Mailk’s candidature strengthens chances of Nawab Malik contesting the polls from the Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar constituency as an independent candidate.


Malik was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in the case involving alleged land and money transactions between an underworld don and him. At the time, Nawab Malik was the most powerful spokesperson of the undivided NCP led by Sharad Pawar. After a prolonged legal battle, Malik was released on medical bail. During the Nagpur session of the state legislature when Malik was seen in the legislature party office, Devendra Fadnavis had written a letter to Ajit Pawar saying he should not be entertained since he has links with the underworld. Then Fadnavis had expressed strong displeasure over the entire episode.


Nawab Malik refused to elaborate over his decision to contest the election from Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar. “I am going to file the nomination on Monday,” he said. “The people of Shivaji Nagar-Mankhurd are fed up of the drug menace. I will contest the election from there and win.”

If Malik indeed wins all the blots on him will vanish.

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