New Delhi: The CRPF on Friday said it will "set in motion soon" the action plan cleared by the Centre to deal with Left wing extremism in the country.
"The action plan, approved by the Union government, will
be set in motion very soon. The operations would be focused,"
CRPF DG, AS Gill told reporters here.
Gill also said the forces will very soon have "more successes" and new battalions of the CRPF and the specialized anti-Naxal force CoBRA would take their positions in the affected areas by the end of this year.
Terming Naxals as the "enemies to the security of the
country", Gill said the specialised forces would adopt new
counter strategies to take on the Maoists.
"The terrain where the forces are operating are difficult.
Naxals are in large numbers in these places. There will be
more focused operations and we will deploy new counter
strategies," Gill said.
He strongly condemned yesterday's attack in Gadchiroli
district of Maharashtra where 17 policemen were killed.
The Cabinet Committee of Security (CCS) chaired by Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh has approved the government's new plan
to counter Maoists under which the infested states will have
an effective coordination and the police will take a lead
role.
According to the plan worked out by the Union Home
Ministry, the anti-Naxal operations will be undertaken in
states affected by Left wing extremism and would be assisted
by CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action), a
specialised central force.
The strategy cleared by the CCS says that once an area is
cleared of the Maoists, developmental activities could be
carried out in full swing so that the ultras cannot return.
Air Force and BSF helicopters will be used for
reinforcements and evacuation of casualties only, and not for
any offensive action.
The operations will be carried out in 20 states affected
by the Maoist menace and they will also share intelligence.
The police will have the mandate to cross inter-state borders
in the hunt for the Naxals.
The CCS clearance came in the backdrop of a police
inspector being beheaded by Naxals in Jharkhand and gunning
down of 17 policemen by Maoists in Gadchiroli district of
Maharashtra.
Bureau Report
First Published: Friday, October 09, 2009, 13:18