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NIA files charge sheet in recruitment of young girls by Maoists
The accused persons allegedly motivated young girls to join the Chaitanya Mahila Sangham (CMS, a charitable organisation) and subsequently radicalised and recruited them to the proscribed organisation, CPI (Maoist)
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a charge sheet against five Maoists cadres for alleged radicalisation and recruitment of young girls into the ranks of CPI (Maoist), the agency said on Tuesday.
The federal agency has been investigating the case of recruitment of young girls by Maoists since June this year, after initial investigation carried out by the Vishakhapatnam police.
The case was registered based on the complaint filed regarding the recruitment of one Radha to the cadres of CPI (Maoist).
“The allegation in the complaint indicated that the accused persons Dongari Devendra, Dubasi Swapna and Chukka Shilpa motivated Radha to join the Chaitanya Mahila Sangham (CMS, a charitable organisation) and subsequently radicalised and recruited her to the proscribed organisation, CPI (Maoist), under the leadership of underground Maoists Akkiraju Hargopal alias RK (died in October 2021) Uday, Aruna etc.,” NIA said in a statement after filing the charge sheet before a special court in Vijayawada on Monday.
The NIA probe revealed that Dongari Devendra, Dubasi Swapna and Chukka Shilpa “had indeed attracted gullible young girls to the organisation, CMS, under the guise of social work and depending on their dedication to the organisation, such girls would be identified and sent to the proscribed organisation, CPI (Maoist),” the statement added.
“Investigations revealed that the accused persons Dongari Devendra, Dubasi Swapna and Chukka Shilpa had recruited a few other girls to the CPI (Maoist) and had attempted to recruit many others,” it said.
NIA also found that the accused Devendra had taken Radha to the forests under the pretext of rendering medical assistance to someone and that Uday and Aruna coerced the missing girl Radha to join the CPI Maoists.
The role of the CMS and its leaders is being probed to unravel the “larger conspiracy”, the agency said.
People familiar with the development said NIA is probing half a dozen other cases in Assam, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh related to activities of Maoists to raise funds, smuggle arms for their violent activities and recruitment of cadres.
Meanwhile, in a written response in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, union minister of state for home affairs Nityanand Rai said incidents of left wing extremism violence have reduced by 77% from 2,213 in 2010 to 509 in 2021.
Similarly, resultant deaths (civilians and security forces) have reduced by 85% from 1,005 in 2010 to 147 in 2021, Rai said.
The minister said the geographical spread of violence has also significantly reduced and only 191 police stations of 46 districts reported left wing extremism (LWE) related violence in 2021 as compared to 465 police stations of 96 districts (affected) in 2010.
“Decline in geographical spread is also reflected in the reduced number of districts covered under Security Related Expenditure (SRE) scheme. SRE districts reduced from 126 to 90 in April 2018 and further to 70 in July 2021.List of SRE districts is enclosed at Annexure I. Similarly, the number of districts contributing approximately 90% of the LWE violence, categorised as Most LWE Affected Districts, came down to 30 from 35 in 2018 and further to 25 in 2021,” Rai added.
The minister said the Indian government’s national policy and action plan addresses Left Wing Extremism in all its manifestations, including the “urban activities”.
