Pamphlets asking locals to boycott Republic Day celebration in Madhya Pradesh’s Balaghat district were recovered with police sounding high alert in the Naxal-hit district bordering Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra. Notably, the Maoists had been giving boycott calls almost every year, but its effect was witnessed seldom. However, interestingly, the police claiming high alert in the region could notice the handbills only on Wednesday, two days after the Republic Day passed.
Police said the pamphlets were allegedly circulated by rebels under the name of ‘Tada Dalam’ and pasted on the walls in the rural areas of Devarbeli, Songudda and Machhurda, under Roopjhar police station limits of the district. Superintendent of Police, Gaurav Tiwari informed that the pamphlets urged the people to shun Republic Day celebrations and criticised the government, stating it was exploiting the tribals and encouraging illegal mining and crony capitalism.
The SP said the handbills were recovered on Wednesday, following which police sounded red alert last night. Tiwari said they were investigating whether the pamphlets were pasted by the Naxals or some other persons to create panic. He said that security has been stepped up in the Naxal- affected areas in the district and joint search operation of MP police with Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra counterparts has been launched. The CRPF personnel too have increased their vigil, he added. In the first phase of panchayat polls, held recently, the Naxals had given a call to the villagers to represent a common candidate to win the elections unopposed, but, locals did not accept it.