Jharkhand demands extra 12,000 para-military forces

Jharkhand demands extra 12,000 para-military forces
New Delhi, Dec 9, IRNA

Jharkhan-Naxal-India
Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil agreed to "consider positively" naxal-hit Jharkhand's demand for 12,000 additional para-military personnel from the central government to deal with the menace.

The home minister said the state government's request for additional central forces would be considered positively, later the ministry said in an official release after a 30-minute meeting between Patil and Chief Minister Madhu Koda.

Patil underlined the need to further improve ground level police response to effectively deal with naxal violence and fine-tune the action plan drawn up by the state government.

The home minister said special measures were necessary to accelerate development activities in naxalite affected areas and assured the chief minister all necessary help to supplement its efforts and resources to deal with the naxal problem.

Koda told reporters that since 18 of the 22 districts of the state were naxal affected, the state required 12 additional battalions of para-military force.

During the meeting, issues like modernization of police and intelligence gathering measures also came up for discussion.

Earlier in the day, Jharkhand Governor Syed Sibtey Razi also had a meeting with Patil and apprised him of the situation in the state.

After his meeting with Patil, Razi told reporters that the state was facing naxal problem and there was need to deal with it on a war-footing.

The meeting came in the backdrop of the recent killing of 14 policemen in a landmine explosion in Bokaro.

http://www.irna.ir/en/news/view/line-16/0612091448174208.htm