Patna, Dec. 19: A circular was issued to the district magistrates of the 22 Maoist-hit districts on Thursday, asking them to initiate steps to check forcible induction of children in rebel outfits.

The cells would be set up in the districts already covered under security-related expenditure scheme of the central government. Under the scheme, all expenses incurred on security are reimbursed by the central government.

The circular, a copy of which is with The Telegraph, said a seven-member committee headed by the respective district magistrates had been set up to check the menace.

Besides sadar sub-divisional officer as member-secretary, the committee would have superintendent of police, additional district magistrate and district-level officers of the welfare department and public relations department as members.

The circular issued by the home department said the district magistrate and the superintendent of police would also think about the inclusion of representatives of non-government organisation in the monitoring cell. The cell would hold meetings every two months and review the cases related to forcible induction of children in Naxalite outfits.

The order, which would come into force with immediate effect, also stressed the need to create awareness among people in remote areas about the menace. Moreover, the monitoring cell would work for the rehabilitation of children rescued from the clutches of the rebels.

Inspector-general (operations) Sushil Khopde said so far, he had no information about the existence of any 'armed squad of children' in the Maoist-hit districts of the state. 'We have heard about the use of children by the Maoists in intelligence gathering but not about any armed squad of children,' he told The Telegraph.

Munger superintendent Varun Kumar Sinha and his Jamui counterpart Upendra Prasad Singh also feigned ignorance about the existence of Bal Dusta in the Maoist-hit areas under their jurisdiction.

On the contrary, former Rohtas SP Maharaaj, now posted as senior superintendent of police of Darbhanga, said Pramod Tiwary had made significant revelations about the Bal Dusta operating under his guidance on Kaimur plateau, once the hotbed of the rebels.