At a time when the lok Sabha poll campaign is gearing up, the intelligence agencies have given inputs that, over half a dozen candidates contesting the elections are on the hit list of Maoists and terrorist outfits active in certain areas of the State.
Meanwhile, the security of BJP candidate from Bhagalpur constituency, Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, has been further strengthened on Wednesday and almost two dozen police personnel from Central Reserve Paramilitary Forces (CRPF) have been deployed.
The police claim to have received inputs from the Intelligence Bureau officials that Maoists and terrorist outfits might target some leaders contesting the poll. “They may be attacked ahead of the poll or during the poll”, said the official.
The BJP leader, Shahnawaz Hussain, might be the target of some terrorist outfits like Indian Mujahideen during his poll campaign, said an officer.
The police sources further said that the ruling Janata Dal-(United) MPs, Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias lalan Singh from Munger, Bihar Assembly Speaker Uday Narain Choudhary from Jamui seat and BJP legislator Prem Ranjan Patel are on the hit list of the Maoists. Both Munger and Jamui constituencies fall in the Maoists stronghold areas.
NDA candidate from Jamui Chirag Paswan, who filed his nomination papers on Wednesday too admitted that since the areas are quite backward, the presence of Maoists could not be ruled out but “We have to address their issues on order to bring them back in the mainstream”. “Kuch kami rahi hogi tabhi koi hathiyar uthata hai...un sabko address karna padega,” he told the media in Jamui.
Besides, the Maoists could even target leaders during the campaign in constituencies like Gaya, Aurangabad, Jehanabad, Arwal, Nawada, Rohtas and Sasaram districts which are known as Maoist infested areas.
“The Maoists can target and attack other leaders too during campaigns in Gaya, Aurangabad, Jehanabad, Arwal, Nawada, Rohtas districts, known as the hot bed of Maoists activities,” a police official said. The police chiefs of Munger, Jamui, Banka, Jehanabad and lakhisarai have been put on high alert as they too were on the hit list of Maoists.
“The SPs of these districts have been asked to take extra precaution and be vigilant till the polls are over in their respective districts,” said a police official. Security of these district police chiefs has been tightened too with extra force and commandoes, he said.
The official further added that the Munger range DIG Sudhansu Kumar and Bhagalpur range DIG Sanjay Singh are also on Maoists’ target and they have also been asked to be alert in view of the latest intelligence inputs. The State police chief Abhyanand recently held a meeting with the top police officials to chalk out a comprehensive action plan to provide security in six Maoists affected districts, going to polls in the first phase of elections on April 10, in the State. Meanwhile, the Maoists through posters in different parts of State, have declared that they would disrupt the poll and target those on the hit list of their outfit.