DGP GS Rath receives the guard of honour in Bokaro on Sunday. Picture by Pankaj Singh

Bokaro, June 12: Director-general of police (DGP) Gauri Shankar Rath today claimed that the Naxalite movement had weakened in Jharkhand in the recent times.

Surrender of a large number of extremists bore testimony to this, he added.

Speaking to the media during his brief stay at Bokaro Niwas on his way to Ranchi from Deoghar, Rath said the surrender policy of the Jharkhand government was a huge success. “Revelations made by the surrendered Maoists show that they are engaged in all sorts of corruption — right from collection of levy to encouraging discrimination within the outfit. The Naxalites are working against the society and we will oppose any move of theirs to challenge the system,” Rath said.

The DGP dubbed Naxalism a political problem, but said that as the rebels were killing innocent people, police would continue to resist them and foil their attacks.

On the recent release of a tape by Maoists in Chhattisgarh in which they claimed that they would target all those places where Operation Green Hunt was carried out, Rath said Jharkhand was fully prepared to tackle any attack.

“A close watch is being kept on the developments in Chhattisgarh (which has witnessed three Maoist strikes in as many days). We are prepared to face any eventuality,” Rath said. However, he refused to divulge details of the preparations.

The top officer also evaded reply when asked whether any surveillance or attack on Naxalites would be launched with the help of helicopters, saying he was not in a position to reveal anything.

On the April 27 Kusunda incident, he said police never opened fire willingly. “Our men are not out to kill any one. The situation compelled them to fire that day,” Rath said.

Later, the DGP was given a guard of honour by policemen at Bokaro Niwas in the presence of Bokaro superintendent of police Saket Singh and others. Managing director of Bokaro Steel S.S. Mohanty also met him as a courtesy call.