Anti-Naxal Cell sore over medal denial

 
The entire ANC was recommended for CM’s medal from the district but a DySP discharging civil policing duties and a woman constable from ANC involved in desk work were selected.

The cell which comprises young personnel specially trained in commando operations was formed to nab the naxals and their sympathisers active in the main stream. its members are specially trained in intelligence gathering.

Their modus operandi differs from that of Anti-Naxal Force and Squad that are hunting the Maoists in forests.

Krishna, an active member of ‘Varahi Dalam’ of Maoists was arrested by ANC in Durvasapura near Tirthahalli in September 2008.

Big catch

He was the first naxal to be caught alive in the State. Based on the information provided by Krishna, police seized a huge cache of arms and ammunition dumped in forest along Shimoga-Udupi border.

Based on their intelligence, ANC also arrested naxals active in mainstream such as Suresh and Sarala of Tumkur, Vishnu and Asha, identified by police as hardcore naxals who carried reward of Rs three lakh each on their heads, Jagannatha, Mallesha alias Kiran, Vijaya Bai and Gangamma.

ANC dealt a death blow to the Maoist movement in the State, as the arrests blocked the supply and recruitment for the naxals.

As ANC is a non-statutory body, its personnel are not eligible for special perks which ANF and ANS personnel enjoy and are not equipped with modern arms.

A constable working for ANC told Deccan Herald that CM’s medal would have done a world of good for their confidence.

“We risk our lives and forsake personal comforts. Besides gathering intelligence, making arrests and producing the accused before courts, we also counsel and cajole the naxals into joining the mainstream,” he said. Even the police top brass involved in anti-naxal operations is shocked to learn about the denial of recognition to ANC personnel.

A police officer on condition of anonymity told Deccan Herald that there should be provision for honouring the entire unit with commendable achievement like ANC to avoid disaffection in the unit.