Planning helped police score over Maoists: DGP

Planning helped police score over Maoists: DGP
Monday December 18 2006 09:36 IST

VIJAYAWADA: A four-pronged strategy adapted by the State Police to contain the activities of Maoists has been paying rich dividends, Director-General of Police Swaranjit Sen said.

The strategy had enabled the police to curb the activities of the Maoists, significantly reduce their area of operation and dismantle their support structures, he told mediapersons here this morning. Sen had earlier inaugurated a children-friendly Bala Mithra police station at Labbipet and the Regional Forensic Laboratory. This is the third Bala Mithra station in the State.

Two stations have already been set up at Kavali in Nellore district and Visakhapatnam.

‘‘The strategy included getting familiarised with the terrain used frequently by Maoists by taking up massive combing operations, then engaging them in operations, dominating them in armed conflicts and finally dismantling their bases,” he said referring to recent successes against Maoists in Nallamalla area and elimination of many top cadre Maoists.

The police with the help of State government have taken up developmental activities in Naxal-dominated areas and this has helped wean youth from Naxal movement.

However, the police will continue to engage in combing operations to further weaken the Maoists, he said while cautioning that there were still splinter groups trying to get a foothold in backward areas.

TRANS-SHIPMENT OF GOODS UNDER SCANNER: Referring to recent seizures of massive hauls of rocket launchers and rocket shells in many parts of the State, he said that the issue was put before the Central Government at a recent meeting of IGPs and DGPs at New Delhi.

‘‘The Ministry of Surface Transport, Government of India and the State Government are engaged in making a comprehensive policy to monitor the trans-shipment of goods by private and public transport. A set of guidelines would be issued to the transport firms soon,” he said. Sen, however, refused to blame the seizures on the failure of intelligence wing.

Director of Forensic wing Gandhi, Commissioner of Police CV Anand, Municipal Commissioner Natarajan Gulzar, MLAs, students of several schools and many prominent personalities of the city were present.

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