Intensifying operations

Taking stock of the ground situation following the Maoist attack on Congress convoy in Sukma, the Centre has decided to intensify anti-Naxal operations by pushing more specialised forces into the rebel-infested regions of Chhattisgarh.

Realising the security lapses that led to the attacks, the BJP government in Chhattisgarh suspended  Bastar SP Mayank Shrivastava and shifted out the region’s IG Himangshu Gupta, as the police failed to turn up at the spot hours after the convoy of Congress leaders drove over the landmine in Sukma that blew up 27 persons on Saturday.

At a high level meeting chaired by union home secretary RK Singh –who flew to Raipur to take stock of the situation--  it was decided to corner the Naxals who dominate about 10,000 kilometre in the districts of Bastar, Dantewada, Kanker and Bijarpur in Chattisgarh. The meeting was also attended by Chhattisgarh Chief Secretary Sunil Kumar and Director General of Police Ramniwas.

Singh said Maoists suffered huge casualties in recent operations and were on the backfoot in several areas like Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra and Odisha. "There is inter-border movement of Maoists. This is such terrain -- Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha -- where there is poor communication. So, they often sneak into another state from one state. Our operations will continue and will be further intensified," he told reporters.

The multi-pronged offensive is likely to be launched from different points of Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha simultaneously to push the rebels to a corner.