Eight Bihar SPs on red radar

Even as there is no sign of a breakthrough in the abduction of Sukma district collector Alex Paul Menon, intelligence sources in Bihar have alerted the top police brass that at least eight IPS officers in the state are on the hit-list of naxals owing allegiance to the banned outfit CPI (Maoist).

Following the alert, these police officers, who are on the red radar, have been asked to be extra vigilant and take every precautionary measure before venturing out in the naxals’ bastion.

Sources in the police headquarters said that the SPs of Jamui, Gaya, Banka, Aurangabad, Rohtas, Arwal, Sheohar and Sitamarhi have been put on alert following the intelligence inputs that the rebel outfit may target them for launching an offensive against the Maoists.

Additional Director General (Headquarters) Ravindra Kumar said that certain guidelines had been issued to the police officers concerned and they have been asked to follow them as they are posted in Maoist-hit districts.

The superintendents of police (SPs) who are on the naxal’s hit-list have been identified as Vinay Kumar, Upendra Sharma, Manu Maharaj, Vikas Burman, S M Jain, Vimal Kumar, Natasha Gudia and Vivek Kumar.

Of these eight SPs, Manu Maharaj had launched a concerted drive against the Maoist in the jungles of Rohtas to flush them out of the dense Kaimur plateau. Similarly, Vinay Kumar, too, had incurred the wrath of naxals when he arrested a hardcore Maoist Jagdish Master, alias Masterji, from Guraru police station of the district. The Bihar government had announced a reward of Rs 2 lakh on Masterji’s head.

Following intelligence input, security has been beefed up in all the Naxal-infested districts in Bihar.
The armed guerillas kidnapped four cops in the wee hours of August 30, 2010, after a fierce gun-battle with the police at Lakhisarai. The rebels had demanded the release of eight comrades lodged in different jails in lieu of the safe return of the cops. Amid the high-voltage drama which continued for eight days, the Naxals had gunned down one of the abducted cops,  Lucas Tete, a Bihar Military Police (BMP) havaldar.