Page 12 - The Indian EYE 120321

OpINION DECEMBER 03, 2021 | The Indian Eye 12

How to tackle the CPi (maoist)

problem with a judicious mix of security

and development

While the security measures such as deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) should be
employed to tackle the Maoist rebels, the government should emphasize more on development initiatives

RAJBAlA RANA

n a major anti-Maoist operation
in the forests of Madintola in
IDhanora sub-division of Gadchi-
roli district of Maharashtra on 13 No-
vember 2021, 26 Maoists, including
six women combatants, were report-
ed to have been killed. The 10-hour-
long operation conducted by the elite
C-60 commandos of the Maharashtra
Police led to fierce exchange of fire
between the police and the Maoists
at multiple sites and resulted in the
recovery of bodies of the slain Mao-
ists and 29 weapons, comprising five
AK-47 rifles, an AK-47 with UBGL
attachment, nine SLRs, an INSAS
rifle, few .303 rifles, etc. The kind of
weapons recovered indicates pres-
ence of many hardcore Maoists at the
encounter site.
Top Maoist leader and Central
Committee Member Milind Tel-
tumbde alias Deepak Teltumbde was Photo: IDSA
one among the Maoists killed during
the operation. Milind was a member has been consistently trying to carve and middle level commanders head- Dindori district of Madhya Pradesh
of Maharashtra committee of the out new zones for its operations. ed by Darbha divisional commander are relatively violence-free till now.
CPI (Maoist) and had a reward of Rs Two such potential areas/zones are Surender, were sent to activate this Mungeli and Dindori have been
50 lakh on his head. He was broth- the tri-junctions of Maharashtra, new zone. The terrain and demog- added to the Ministry of Home Af-
er of a renowned scholar, writer and Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh raphy of the areas were found to be fairs’ list of ‘Maoist-affected districts’
civil rights activist Anand Teltumbde, (MMC) and the Kerala, Karnata- conducive for the expansion of Mao- recently. Reportedly, around 100
who is currently in judicial custody ka and Tamil Nadu (KKT). This is ist activities and operations as the Maoists had entered into Balaghat
for his alleged involvement in the mainly to divert the attention of the areas in the region are mostly back- and Mandla districts of Madhya
2017 Bhima Koregaon case. Keeping security forces from its core area of ward, densely-forested with sparse Pradesh from neighboring states
into consideration Milind’s stature Bastar and also to save and replenish tribal inhabitations and more impor- of Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra.
and decades of contribution to the their depleting armed strength (cad- tantly, scantly policed. Around six dalams (groups) of Mao-
organization, the Party high com- res and leaders) in the Bastar strong- A small division of the CPI ists are operating in Balaghat and
mand tasked him with developing hold. (Maoist) with an estimated strength Mandla districts. Of these, Khatia
the tri-junction of the Maharashtra, The CPI (Maoist)’s initial for- of 20–30 cadres already active in the Mocha Dalam in Mandla came up
Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh ays into the MMC confluence zone region—GRB (Gondia, Rajnandga- last year. A Maoist document seized
(MMC) states as a potent guerrilla started in 2015. After deeply study- on, Balaghat) division—was merged by the Chhattisgarh Police suggested
zone for the Maoists, similar to the ing the topography and carrying out with the team from Bastar to consol- that there were about 200 rebels ac-
Dadakaranya Special Zone Commit- an in-depth socio-political survey idate and further expand their oper- tive in the MMC zone in December
tee (DKSZC). of the adjoining areas along the in- ations up to erstwhile strongholds of 2019.
The CPI (Maoist) has often ter-state borders, three potential Gadchiroli in Maharashtra, Mand- Notably, the CPI (Maoist) is also
been undertaking organizational re- stretches were identified by the CPI la in Madhya Pradesh and parts of believed to be relocating its armed
structuring to consolidate its position (Maoist). The new areas cover for- Kabirdham and Mungeli districts in cadres from its Bastar and Andhra–
in the existing core areas. Amidst ested pockets in districts of Gondia Chhattisgarh. While Maoist violence Odisha Border (AOB) strongholds
increasing reverses suffered by the in Maharashtra, Balaghat in Madhya is sporadically reported from Ra- to new safer core areas in the Kanha
Maoists in south Bastar (Chhattis- Pradesh and northern Rajnandgaon jnandgaon district; Kabirdham and National Park, Amarkantak for-
garh) in the last five years, the Party in Chhattisgarh.6 Initially, 58 senior Mungeli districts of Chhattisgarh and Continued at next page... >>

www.TheIndianEYE.com