Cops nix Naxal plan to launder old cash

Nagpur: Security forces claim to have blunted Naxalites’ attempts to channelize their cash in old currency, stashed away in dumps in forests in Gadchiroli, into banking system. The cash worth several crores now appears to be on the verge of being rendered useless owing to police’s new strategy of developing bonds with around 1,500 members of Area Rakshak Dal (ARD), Gram Rakshak Dal (GRD) and Jan Militia.
The security forces, following a strategy formulated by State Anti-Naxal Operation (ANO) cell, had started bridging the communication gap a section of villagers seen as supporters of the rebels. Deviating from the traditional approach of trying to control and thwart them by taking them in preventive detention, the forces had hosting them in residential camps instead. The forces hoped this would prevent supporters from providing logistics support to Naxalites during various action calls given by rebels.
The fresh strategy was successfully implemented during rebels’ nationwide protest week observed between October 5 and 11 followed by a bandh call across country on October 10 and 11 earlier this year. During this phase, the forces hosted almost 1,500 Naxal supporters through residential camps across the district. Such residential camps were organized at nine places in the district. The camps, called ‘Jan Maitri Melawa’ or public gathering for forging friendly relations, were held with the initiative of sub-divisional police officers of the region. The supporters, at the camps, were engaged in various useful activities but being away from villages, they could not maintain supply lines for the rebels.
This had hit the Naxalite plans of using local supporters for laying and triggering mines, putting up banners, distributing pamphlets, blocking roads, setting up booby traps and pressure bombs and also organizing meetings during their protest week. Later, the plan helped police build relationships Naxal supporters and caution them them against handling any money for the rebels post-demonetization.
State Anti-Naxal Operation (ANO) chief IGP Shivaji Bodkhe said he had already held such camps during his stint as Sub-divisional police officer at Khamgaon in Buldhana. “The concept is to ensure potential law-breakers remained under the police watch in more friendly surroundings and without cops taking preventive action,” he said. “We already had names, addresses and phone numbers of the supporters who had participated in our residential camps. The cops started contacting the supporters and explaining to them the peril of acting as courier of the Naxals in bringing their cash to the banks,” said Bodkhe. “The police personnel explained that if villagers deposited substantial cash in their Jan Dhan and other accounts then their future benefits would be truncated,” he said.
Bodkhe said a case study was conducted with Bank of Maharashtra in Bhamragarh where the deposits were only to the tune of Rs 4 crore and exchange worth nearly the same as against total distribution of Rs 10 crore new notes. “The statistics proved the Naxals failed to send their cash to the bank,” he said.
Bodkhe also said rebels compelled villagers to provide logistics support to them. “Naxal supporters conduct programmes for the rebels in the villages but we are ensuring they are no more available to Naxalites,” said Bodkhe. The IG also stated the Naxalites, without their village-based supporters, would be without supplies, including medicines.
Starting with yoga and other exercises, camps had various programmes conducted by the police officials and representatives from different agencies to share information on government schemes and projects meant for development.