No plans to deploy army in Maoist areas: Antony

Two days after the Chattisgarh Congress brass was wiped out in a naxal strike in the state’s Bastar division, defence minister AK Antony made it clear that there were no plans to deploy army in Maoist zones to tackle Red terror.

Two days after the Chattisgarh Congress brass was wiped out in a naxal strike in the state’s Bastar division, defence minister AK Antony made it clear that there were no plans to deploy army in Maoist zones to tackle Red terror.

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The latest Maoist strike — like the previous ones — had reignited the debate over whether the army should be ordered to march into naxal-infested areas.

Putting a lid on the debate, Antony reiterated that strengthening the local and central police forces was the only answer to dealing with naxal violence.

Successive army chiefs have advised against deploying soldiers in naxal-hit zones as the force considers it to be a law and order problem.