Post of Special DG created to tackle Naxal menace in Chhattisgarh

Chhattisgarh has constituted a post of Special DGP to effectively combat Left Wing Extremism in the state .

Raipur: Chhattisgarh has constituted a post of Special Director General of Police (Anti-Naxal Operations) to effectively combat Left Wing Extremism in the state and has given the charge to senior IPS officer D M Awasthi as part of a minor reshuffle in the top.

"The reshuffle order of the four officers came last evening from Mantralaya (Mahanadi Bhavan), Naya Raipur," a government official said.

The state government has appointed 1986-batch IPS officer Awasthi as the Special Director General of Police (Anti-Naxal Operations).

A DG-rank official, Awasthi has also been assigned the charge of another crucial offshoot of the state police – the Special Intelligence Branch (SIB). Besides, he will continue to look after the affairs of Chhattisgarh Police Housing Corporation as its Managing Director.

Earlier, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) R K Vij used to handle anti-Naxal operations. Vij, a 1988-batch IPS officer, has now been given the charge of planning and
provisioning (P&P) and technical services.

Similarly, ADGP Sanjay Pillai, who was holding the charge of P&P, Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF), recruitment and training, will have an additional portfolio of Special Task Force (STF). However, he will be relived from the charge of P&P.

Moreover, the reshuffle has relieved ADGP Rajesh Mishra from the charge of telecom and he will continue to look after Administration.

According to sources in the police department, anti-Naxal operations have been stepped up in the worst-hit Bastar region for the past few months.

Keeping in view recent developments, the creation of the post of Special DG for anti-Naxal operations indicates more aggressive counter insurgency operations in near future, they
said.