Daring People’s liberation Front of India (PlFI) cadres in their strongholds, Chief Secretary Sajal Chakraverty alongwith DGP Rajiv Kumar and a group of top police officials conducted an aerial survey of Khunti and identified different patches where Operation Karo is being conducted. Two MI 17 helicopters, in order to create a sense of security among the people and the security forces, hovered around the area in formation for over two hours.
“A thorough recce was also done by two MI 17 helicopters flying close over the dense forests along the bordering areas of Sonua, Bandgaon, Gumla and Simdega along with Khunti,” said DIG (Ranchi Zone) Praveen Singh. The area has been identified into different patches dividing into six sectors where operation will conducted, he added.
According to Singh, total of three helicopters of Indian Air Force will be deployed during the operations to assist the security forces for providing aerial support to the security forces on the ground. All the three helicopters can fly together in formation, if needed, added Singh.
“These helicopters having high flying capacity even in adverse weather conditions could also be used for tracking the movements of the rebels which generally move in groups and in order to take action against them,” added Singh.
The Chief Secretary in order to finish the menace from the area also stressed on using the commando force of JAP-I during the operations through slithering into the dense forests. Presently the state has two battalions of commando force of JAP-1 which has been raised recently to tackle any untoward situation in the state.
“There will be no talks with the rebels anymore and will be dealt only with bullets, if they do not put their guns down,” said Chakraverty.
According to police records, there has been an alarming rise in the number of incidents committed by the PlFI as compared to the Maoists. Moreover, the crime statistics of the last few years indicate that the PlFI has become a bigger threat for the state police than the Maoists.
The PlFI has become a bigger nuisance causing more damage than the Maoists and rebellion incidents caused by them in the last few years have gone up to 40-44 per cent which earlier used to be less that 12-14 per cent.
Moreover, Maoists used to confine themselves in the remote jungles and strike once in a while and focussed against the police forces, PlFI on the other hand has been found involved in more than 45 per cent rebel attacks targeting not only the police but the civilians also.
State government, in order to flush out the PlFI from the region has also chalked out a plan for an all round attack on the rebels which has created a sense of terror among the people of the area for the last one decade.
Chakraverty was accompanied with DGP Rajiv Kumar, IG (Operations) Ml Meena, IG (Ranchi Zone) MS Bhatia, DIG Praveen Singh and SP Khunti Anis Gupta.