Maoists in the state are resorting to poster wars and explosions in remote areas ahead of the Lok Sabha elections to show their presence in their former strongholds, police officials said on Saturday.
There have been three incidents of Maoists banners exhorting people to abstain from voting found in the state. On March 25, posters stating that the CPI (Maoists) wanted people to oppose the polls, dismantle the rule of police, and establish people’s rule were found near the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences under Bariyatu police station limits.
Similar posters boycotting the elections along with slogans against the state policies on the Land Acquisition Act and on jailed political prisoners were found at several places in Bundu, around 32 km from the capital city on April 3. Some of the posters also accused police of conducting fake encounters.
On Thursday night, a blast by Maoists damaged two under construction buildings of the forest department at Kuida village in Goelkera forest range of West Singhbhum district. The building were being set up as quarters for forest guards. At the nearby Derwan village, several posters rejecting the elections and calling upon people to deny entry to any government officials in the area were found.
Kuldeep Dwiwedi, the deputy inspector general of police (Kolhan range) said that the incident proved that Maoists are now becoming desperate. He said that the Maoist had lost public support, and were resorting to activities against the people. Because of suffering heavy setbacks in the anti-Maoist operations, the left wing extremists were trying to show their presence through such activities. “Operations were being conducted against the Maoists. Those responsible for the blast will be arrested,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Kuldeep Dwiwedi, the deputy inspector general of police (Kolhan range) said that the incident proved that Maoists are now becoming desperate. He said that the Maoist had lost public support, and were resorting to activities against the people. Because of suffering heavy setbacks in the anti-Maoist operations, the left wing extremists were trying to show their presence through such activities. “Operations were being conducted against the Maoists. Those responsible for the blast will be arrested,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}However, the police in the capital city had downplayed both the incidents of putting posters here. Despite the posters creating a flutter among the city residents, the senior police officers had said that it could have been the handiwork of some anti-social elements trying to create fear ahead of the elections. But as per the police records, several left wing extremists are active in the rural areas of Bero, Lapung, Khelari and Tamar.
The additional director general of police (operations) ML Meena said that putting up posters was an old tactic of Maoists. The police were conducting continuous anti-Maoist operations to ensure that peaceful polls were conducted in the state, he said.