Flush out Maoists in six months: Chief secy to cops

Ranchi: The government has given the police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) six months to flush out extremists from Jharkhand.
In a security review meeting chaired by chief secretary Rajiv Gauba at the CRPF headquarters on Friday, he intimated officers of the government’s plan to wipe out Maoists within six months. To ensure the same, development and security measures would soon be undertaken in rebel-hit areas, he said.Calling upon the CRPF to strengthen its ongoing operations, he said more development plans modelled on the Saranda Action Plan would be launched.
Gauba approved the allotment of 165 acres of land to the CRPF to build a group centre at Musabani in East Singhbhum district. The proposed group centre will look after the requirements of five CRPF battalions and their camps situated across the state and ease the complexities involved in getting ratio, arms and other logistics for the forces. “The chief secretary has asked us to strengthen anti-Maoist operations going in the state,” DGP Rajiv Kumar said.
A CRPF officer said currently there is only one group centre for CRPF in Ranchi catering to five battalions. It works like an administrative unit looking after the requirements of various battalions, who need to send requisitions to the centre for logistics and funds. The Ranchi centre does not cater to all the 22 battalions in Jharkhand. A total of 17 battalions, including two CRPF battalions, are dependent on such centres in Lucknow, Bhopal and other cities.
CRPF IG R K Mishra said, “The government has approved of the land allotment. The work will start as soon as the land is transferred to us after necessary paperwork.”
Gauba acknowledged the CRPF’s contributions in conducting the recently-concluded assembly elections peacefully. “He asked us to work with renewed energy after the polls and assured us of all possible help,” Mishra said. Home secretary N N Pandey, DGP Kumar, IG CRPF, ADG special branch Rezi Dungdung, IG (provision) Anurag Gupta and other senior officers deliberated on effectively tackling Maoist menace.