New Delhi: Apprehending violence, the Home
Ministry has sounded an alert in eight Naxal-affected states
asking them to take maximum possible precautions and ensure
peace as the extremists were planning to observe 'black day'
on August 15.
Acting on intelligence inputs, the Home Ministry asked
governments of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa, Bihar, West
Bengal, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh to be
alert about possible attempts by the Maoists to trigger
violence in the next three days, particularly on August 15.
Official sources said the Centre also shared with the
states specific information about Naxal threat and
intimidation to villagers, school teachers and Panchayat
members to observe the Independence Day as 'black day' and
asked them to deploy adequate security forces in all sensitive
places.
The Home Ministry cited a few incidents, which took place
in Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and West Bengal, where
the Maoists gave ultimatum to the people living in remote
areas to obey their diktat, including hoisting black flags in
public buildings and public places.
The state governments have been asked to intensify vigil
at sensitive locations and public places and deploy additional
forces in markets, railway tracks and stations and bus
terminus, sources said.
PTI
First Published: Friday, August 12, 2011, 23:14