400 central-funded police stations planned in red zone

The Centre has floated a plan to set up 400 new fortified police stations across 26 adversely affected districts to help the state make their presence felt in Maoist-held territory. Aloke Tikku reports.

The Centre has floated a plan to set up 400 new fortified police stations across 26 adversely affected districts to help the state make their presence felt in Maoist-held territory.

HT Image

The plan requires seven states to notify the police stations before they can expect to lay their hands on central funds.

The only condition is that the new police stations — to be built like a fort — should be in an area where the state police have absolutely no presence, a government official told HT.

More than 40 million people live in the shadow of the gun in these districts that account for 75% of all deaths in naxal violence in the country.

Security officers overseeing the Centre’s anti-Maoist offensive concede at least 20% of the 1.8 lakh square km over which these districts are spread was held by the Maoists.

“These are no-go areas for security personnel… they can enter these areas only in big numbers for carrying out a planned operation,” a police officer explained, pointing out that it was unrealistic to post policemen in such areas without securing their lives first.

About 400 existing police stations are already in the process of being strengthened at a cost of R2 crore each under an older scheme.

A fortified police station has a high boundary wall at a distance from the main building, watch towers and living quarters for the jawans in the same complex. “It is almost impregnable for the Maoists,” a home ministry official said.