Maharashtra Police will give befitting reply to Naxals: CM

Nagpur, Feb 02: Maharashtra Police will give a befitting reply to Naxals who killed 15 policemen in an ambush in Gadchiroli district, Chief Minister Ashok Chavan asserted on Monday.

There was no lapse on part of the policemen who were killed while bravely fighting the Maoists, he said.

"Though it (incident) was shocking for us as over a period of time Maharashtra has noticed a decrease in Naxal violence, but probably they ganged up from across the border and killed policemen," Chavan, who earlier in the day paid homage to martyred policemen at Gadchiroli district HQ, told reporters here this evening.

About 125 Naxals attacked a police patrol party at Markegaon yesterday. This was the biggest police casualty in a single Naxal attack in Maharashtra, where nearly half a dozen districts are infested with Maoist violence.

Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh Police will launch a joint operation to flush out the extremists, the Chief Minister said.

To a query, Chavan denied that Naxalites beheaded the deceased policemen including a Sub-Inspector after the attack.

On compensation, Chavan said besides the normal amount, the state cabinet, which will meet tomorrow, will consider enhancing the financial assistance to the next of kin of the deceased policemen.

Chavan said his government was committed to carry out development activities in the Naxal-infested areas and a special action plan has been chalked out. Under the plan, Rs 700 crore has been earmarked for spending in the next three to four years, he added.

The centre periodically reviews the coordination among Naxal-affected states and emphasis is given on intelligence sharing, Chavan said.

Maharashtra had not been lagging behind in providing sophisticated weapons to policemen to fight the Naxal menace, he said adding the policemen were equipped with AK-47 rifles even during the yesterday's incident.

Police and revenue departments' officials regularly visit villages under Naxal-hit districts as part of "gram bhet" (visit to village) scheme, Chavan said.

The Chief Minister was accompanied by Home Minister Jayant Patil, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Ramesh Bang, who is also Gaurdian Minister of Gadchiroli, Textile Minister Anees Ahmad, Minister of State for Home, Nitin Raut, Director General of Police, A N Roy and Home Secretary Chitkala Zutshi.

Earlier, while paying homage in Gadchiroli, Chavan was all praise for the brave policemen who lost their lives while fighting the Naxals. "It is difficult to forget this sad incident but police will intensify their anti-Naxal operation."

The government will provide Rs 1,386 crore during the next three years for infrastructure development in the affected districts, he said.

Certain initiatives like awareness campaign and ban on entry of Naxals into villages have definitely helped the police, he claimed.

Chavan also met the relatives of the deceased policemen and consoled them. Three bodies -- that of Sub-Inspector Upendra Gudtekar of Amravati, one each from Hingoli and Nanded -- were dispatched for last rites today.

Bureau Report