Home Minister Ramsevak Paikra informed the Chhattisgarh Assembly on Wednesday that a total of 43 persons accused of urban links of Maoists were arrested between 2009 till January 20, 2014.
In a written reply to Congress member Bhupesh Baghel, the Minister informed the House that out of the 43 arrests made so far, a total of 37 cases are pending for disposal in various courts while six persons have been acquitted so far in the courts. In his written reply to another related question by ruling party member Shivshankar Paikra demanding the number of districts affected by Maoist insurgency in Chhattisgarh, the Minister informed that a total of 16 districts in the State are currently affected by the insurgency problem.
To another question by Congress member Brihaspat Singh demanding the number of people killed and injured during police encounters with the Maoists in Surguja division during the last three years, Paikra informed that during 2011, the number of encounters of the police with the insurgents in Surguja division were as follows—Balrampur (4) and Jashpur ( 1). During 2012, Jashpur ( 1) and during 2013 Jashpur (1). No security personnel or civilian lost life or injured during the past three years during the encounters in Surguja division, he informed.