Patna, Jan. 1: There was a slight increase in Naxalite violence in the state in 2010 compared to 2009 but the number of top Maoist leaders arrested almost doubled.

Bihar director-general of police (DGP) Neel Mani told The Telegraph that altogether 331 Naxalites were arrested in 2010 while 14 hardcore Maoists surrendered before the police. Of them, 55 were top Maoist leaders, including seven zonal commanders, 10 sub-zonal commanders and 13 area commanders. The DGP said some of the arrested Maoists were carrying reward on their heads. In sharp contrast, only 33 top leaders of the CPI (Maoist) were nabbed in 2009.

The State Crime Record Bureau (SCRB) figures revealed that 160 Naxalite-related incidents were reported till December 23, 2010 in the state against 123 in 2009. While 22 security personnel lost their lives in rebel attacks in Bihar in 2010, Maoists killed 25 policemen in 2009. But the number of people killed in Maoist attacks went up to 49 in 2010 against 29 in 2009. Three incidents of attack on the police were reported in 2010 while six such attacks took place in 2009. The police destroyed eight training camps of rebels in 2010 against three in 2009.

The police had 21 encounters with the Maoists in 2010 against 19 in 2009. Eleven Maoists were killed in encounters in 2010 against three in 2009.

“As far as recoveries are concerned, the police seized 1,96,192 detonators, 83 landmines/can combs and 15,495 kg explosives during operation against the Maoists in 2010,” Neel Mani said, adding that the police recovered 130 firearms from the possession of the arrested Maoists. Of them, 12 were looted arms.

A whopping 8,299 live cartridges of different bores were seized during the anti-Naxalite operations in 2010. The Maoists, however, snatched 45 arms from the police against 28 in 2009. The police did not receive information about any Jan Adalat conducted by the Maoists in 2010.

The police also recovered Rs 3.52 lakh in cash from the rebels, collected as levy in 2010. When asked about the reason behind rise in the Naxalite-related incidents, the DGP said: “The Naxalite problem is not confined to Bihar only. It has posed a serious threat to the internal security of the country.”

He said the Bihar police personnel were sensitive towards the problems faced by the people living in Maoist-hit areas. “We do not believe in violation of human rights. Normally, the guidelines laid down by the National Human Rights Commission are adhered to while taking the Maoists into police custody,” he added.

The state police have launched community policing in Naxalite-affected areas to change the perception of the people about the police force. “We are friends of the people and not their enemies. After all we are public servants,” Neel Mani said.