Ranchi, May 13: The security forces have decided to focus on people-friendly policing in villages within a 2km radius of its borders with neighbouring states of Chhattisgarh, Bengal and Odisha to augment operations against left wing extremism.
This and several other decisions to widen the scope of the state's anti-Naxalite operations were discussed today by DGP D.K. Pandey, who held a meeting at Daltonganj with senior police and CRPF officials posted in the Palamau division.
Among those who attended the meeting were ADG (headquarter) Ajay Kumar Singh, ADG (special branch) Anurag Gupta, ADG (operations) R.K. Mallick, ADG (CID) Ajay Kumar Singh and CRPF IG S.A. Lathkar.
According to sources, Pandey analysed the achievements of the force on various fronts. Apart from regular combing operations in sensitised zones, he advised personnel to prepare a database of villages in neighbouring states that lay within a 2 radius from Jharkhand's borders.
Jharkhand shares borders with Chhatisgarh, Odisha, Bengal, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. But the porous nature of inter-state boundaries, the government believes, was a factor in the rise in Naxalite violence.
"Union home minister Rajnath Singh, during his meeting with chief ministers of Naxalite affected states and senior officials posted in these areas, had appreciated our move to work for the development of villages in neighbouring states. These villages should not be treated as authorised settlements on no-man's-land. We have already initiated moves to develop our villages that are close to the borders of various states. Officials have also been directed to prepare a database of villages in neighbouring states," said chief secretary Rajbala Verma.
ADG (operations) Mallick, who is also police spokesman, added that initially development of bordering villages in disturbed areas would be taken up. "For example, Latehar, Garhwa, Gumla and Simdega shares borders with Chhattisgarh; East Singbhum with Mindnapore in Bengal; Palamau, Chatra, Hazaribagh, Koderma and Giridih with Bihar; West Singbhum with Saraikela-Kharsawan; East Singbhum and Simdega with Odisha. These will be given special attention. We have worked out an elaborate action plan," he said.
Palamau range DIG Vipul Shukla said his area of operation, comprising Lathar, Palamau and Garhwa districts, shared more than 150km of border with Chhattisgarh, over 60km border with UP and around 250km borders with Bihar. "It is very difficult to say how many villages are based within a radius of 2km from Jharkhand borders on either side. But, areas that share borders with UP and Bihar in Garhwa are comparatively peaceful," he said.
He said that during today's review meeting it was observed that the overall crime scenario in the Palamau area had improved. "There has been sharp decline in incidents of road robberies, but theft cases and petty crimes have increased," he explained.
Ex-Maoist killed
Tilakdhari Mahto (45), a former Maoist now working as a petty contractor, was shot dead by unidentified men in the Saria area of Giridih district late last night. DSP Deepak Sharma said that Tilakdhari figured as an accused in over a dozen incidents of Maoist violence in Giridih and Hazaribagh districts. He had been jailed on several occasions.
"He parted ways with Maoists three years ago after being released on provisional bail. He was a petty contractor and business rivalry or personal feud could be a reason behind the murder," the DSP added.
