Under the Election Commission pressure the UP and MP police have launched joint operation in Bundelkhand-Vindhyan region to flush out dacoits who have been trying to influence the state assembly election.
While the UP DGP GL Sharma has rushed STF commandos and additional companies of PAC to take on dreaded dacoit Shiv Kumar Patel alias Dadua, the MP DGP AR Pawar told Hindustan Times on phone from Bhopal on Wednesday that force had been geared up in Rewa, Satna, Panna and Sagar districts to mount pressure on the gangs operating on UP-MP borders. Pawar said apart from increasing force deployment searches were being conducted in villages to track down the outlaws. The two DGPs also exchanged information about the operation.
The Election Commission, concerned over menacing rise of dacoits prominently Dadua and Ambika Patel alias Thokia, had directed the DGP Sharma to take effective measures for free and fair polling due on April 28. While Thokia has been concentrating on Naraini assembly constituency in Banda from where his mother Piyaria Devi is contesting on Rashtriya Lok Dal ticket, Dadua has been working for the victory of the Samajwadi Party candidates in Chitrakoot.
Sharma said the police operation to flush out Dadua has helped in increasing pressure on the gang. “They are on the run”, GL Sharma told HT. He said while mounting pressure on the gangs the police had also been trying for confidence building among the villagers who are wary of post election retaliation by these gangs. The gangs have already issued threats to villagers.
Thus the PAC deployment would continue even after the polling. Pawar said that he had also issued instructions to police officers of bordering districts to hold meeting with their counterparts in UP. Politically well-connected in both states Dadua always survived by ensuring appointment of pliable officers in his area of operation. In the past two district police chiefs of Chitrakoot were shunted out because they dared to take on Dadua. SP Chirtakoot Sachi Ghildyal virtually caused flutter in the district last year by zeroing in on the Dadua gang. She also killed several members of his gang in the fierce encounters before being shifted to an insignificant Anti-corruption Organization (ACO).
Sharma said the police operation to flush out Dadua has helped in increasing pressure on the gang. “They are on the run”, GL Sharma told HT. He said while mounting pressure on the gangs the police had also been trying for confidence building among the villagers who are wary of post election retaliation by these gangs. The gangs have already issued threats to villagers.
Thus the PAC deployment would continue even after the polling. Pawar said that he had also issued instructions to police officers of bordering districts to hold meeting with their counterparts in UP. Politically well-connected in both states Dadua always survived by ensuring appointment of pliable officers in his area of operation. In the past two district police chiefs of Chitrakoot were shunted out because they dared to take on Dadua. SP Chirtakoot Sachi Ghildyal virtually caused flutter in the district last year by zeroing in on the Dadua gang. She also killed several members of his gang in the fierce encounters before being shifted to an insignificant Anti-corruption Organization (ACO).