A day after they killed 15 C-60 commandos in a landmine blast, Maoists operating in the forests of Gadchiroli district in eastern Maharashtra, bordering Chhattisgarh, once again made their presence felt on Thursday by putting up banners and posters warning the Maharashtra Government, private contractors and firms against building roads and bridges in the region.
On a day when Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir paid homage to martyred C-60 commandos of the Gadchiroli police, members of banned CPI (Maoist) through its local Divisional Vigilance Committees (DVC) put up posters and banners in villages thus warning the State Government, private contractors and firms to desist from taking up vital infrastructure projects in the area.
The posters and banners – prepared in red and white coloured sheets and clothes -- said that water, land, forests and mines belonged to all the people and by building roads and bridges, these were being to be handed over to a few industrialists for their profiteering.
The banners also accused top industrialists and their agents of indulging in the ‘chamchagiri’ of “(Prime Minister Narendra Modi) and Fadnavis” to get such projects for their ‘vikas’.
The shocking landmine blast had come nearly ten hours after the Maoists set on fire at least 36 private vehicles and two site offices of a road engaged construction and repair work along the Purada-Malewada-Yerkhade stretch of along the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh national highway number 136.
Meanwhile, talking to media persons after paying to the homage to the 15 commandos killed in Wednesday’s landmine blast, Chief Minister Fadnavis said: “Yesterday’s incident in which 15 security personnel and one driver were killed is a serious incident. Maharashtra Director General of Police is conducting a detailed inquiry to see if there were lapses that led to the blast. But let me assure you this supreme sacrifice of our brave jawans will not go in vain! We will fight this menace with more vigour and strength!”
Earlier, Union Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir and State DGP Subodh Kumar Jaiswal visited the spot where Maoists blew up a security vehicle using an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at Jamburkheda, six kilometres away from Kurkheda town, killing 15 C-90 commandos.
The C-60 commandos of the Gadchiroli police were heading in a vehicle for naxal combing operations, when they found several fallen trees blocking the road leading to an isolated stretch of the road in a forest area. When the security personnel alighted to clear the road, landmines planted by Maoists blew up, leaving 16 personnel dead. Those killed comprised 15 commandoes and one driver.