Operation flush-out? begins in three affected districts

WITH THE Intelligence Bureau (IB) issuing a red alert to the State government about the possibility of major Naxal offensive in three affected districts, police today launched massive combing operation in 15 police station areas in Mirzapur, Chandauli and Sonebhadra.

WITH THE Intelligence Bureau (IB) issuing a red alert to the State government about the possibility of major Naxal offensive in three affected districts, police today launched massive combing operation in 15 police station areas in Mirzapur, Chandauli and Sonebhadra.

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This is for the first time such a major drive has been undertaken in the area as a large gang is reported to have sneaked into the region from Jharkhand.

Additional Director-General (law and order) A Palanivel is camping in Mirzapur to supervise the five-day special “Operation flush-out”. Apart from the existing 24 companies of the PAC and nine companies of the CRPF, the government today rushed 20 more companies of the PAC and 10 officers of DSP rank to give impetus to the operation.

The Chandauli police yesterday succeeded in arresting Naxal area commander Rakesh Pal alias Bhola Pal, who was carrying a reward of Rs 20,000 on his head. He is reported to have revealed about the influx of around 60 hardcore Naxalites from Jharkhand.

Apart from targeting Mirzapur jail to get around 40 Naxalites freed, the outlaws are reported to have targeted some senior police officers in the region.

Sources said the operation flush-out was thus aimed at warding off immediate threat in the region.

It may be mentioned here that during the last one year the UP police succeeded in eliminating several zonal and area commanders of Naxals, who had blown up a PAC truck killing around 16 security personnel. Now, as a part of revenge, Naxals have planned to kill some senior police officers. The central intelligence input has thus forced the State police to quickly launch counter-offensive and push them back to Jharkhand.

Sources said that earlier the outlaws, entering in the state, were going back to Jharkhand or Bihar but now there were reports of their continued stay in border regions. The prolonged stay is largely because of fund-raising from the region.

Normally from November to March government civil work involving contractors picks up, which provides opportunity to outlaws to collect money from them.

Thereafter, from March to April they collect money from tendu leaf and forest contractors. Sources said in view of police pressure the gang leaders appeared to be quite agitated and had been desperately trying to regain lost ground.

Apart from fund collection, fresh recruitment was also on their current agenda, the sources added.