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Ranchi, Oct. 5: DGP G.S. Rath today directed superintendents of police (SPs) to curb rebel attacks on civilians and “consolidate” their fight against Maoists.
After a daylong meeting with district police chiefs and other senior police officers, the DGP told The Telegraph that civilian casualties, especially in Khunti, Gumla and Simdega, where the victims were mostly felled by Maoist splinter group PLFI, remained a major concern.
The DGP also expressed concern over the rising crime graph in Ranchi, but said that follow-up action had been prompt.
There have been 84 civilian killings till September as compared to 81 in 2011, with Khunti recording the maximum number.
Then home minister P. Chidambaram had also expressed concern over killing of civilians by rebels during his visit last year.
The DGP said the meeting had been called to review anti-Maoist operations and law and order, besides checking the status of the centrally sponsored crime and criminal tracking network and systems, training and recruitment of personnel.
Rath said that though the incidence of crime had registered a 5 per cent increase by comparison to last year, some of the districts, including Dhanbad, Ranchi, Khunti, Gumla, Simdega, Deoghar and Sahebganj, had to play a proactive role in policing.
“The SPs were also told to give importance to investigation of cases and help the justice system for the speedy trial of cases,” he pointed out.
He said the state police authorities had identified 3,700 vacancies in the post of havildars in the districts. “We will have to amend the police manual to fill the vacancies soon,” Rath pointed out, adding the recruitment process of constables was found to be satisfactory.
The DGP, however, said that the threat posed by Maoists was far from over.
“Our fight against the Naxalites is heading in the right direction in Latehar and other places, though the situation remains tense. The SPs were told to consolidate their fight,” he said, marking out PLFI as a growing nuisance that had to be checked by the police.
Though Saranda has been freed of Maoists, Porahat remained a worry for the state police, he added.
The DGP did not rule out the likelihood of a major offensive by the Naxalites, although he was content with the level of co-ordination between state police and CRPF personnel.
“I have asked the SPs to remain in an offensive mode. Any slackness on their part could give an opportunity to the rebels to create havoc.”
Rath also asked the district chiefs of police to implement plans for avoiding casualties due to landmine blasts.
Expressing satisfaction over modernisation works being undertaken in various districts, he said that the functioning of special projects such as e-samadhan, e-complaint and cyber defence research centre had been more than satisfactory.
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