Taking a new initiative for winning hearts and minds of Naxal cadres, Jharkhand Police is to adopt a humane approach to deal with the rebels who get injured during encounters with the police or otherwise. The initiative is a brainchild of DGP DK Pandey as well as IG (Human Rights) MS Bhatia under Operation Nai Disha, already operative in the State for providing an opportunity to the rebels to get back into the mainstream.
DGP DK Pandey along with his two senior officers on Saturday surprisingly visited the injured women Maoist lalmuni with a basket of fruits at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences where she was undergoing treatment after getting hurt in latehar encounter. The State police boss asked about her well-being which was a step in that direction. “This is another aspect of Operation Nai Disha scheme which is already functional in the State under which the State police is to adopt a lenient approach towards the surrendered, arrested or injured Naxal with a humane approach towards them. The larger view should be adopted towards the victim till he or she does not come out of the trauma or recovered fully,” said IG Bhatia.
According to Bhatia, no interrogation will be done till any rebel caught in such condition recuperates fully from the trauma the person had been undergoing before being taken to the hospital. “It is an initiative taken by the DGP, taking a humane face towards the Naxal cadres providing them full support for bringing them back into the mainstream,” the IG added. They will be treated like common people without having any pre-conceived notion against them and also organize counseling sessions for them if needed, he said.
“Psychological treatment is as important as medical treatment in such cases,” he said. Bhatia further said that during the period injured rebel is undergoing treatment; the police will also try to study the circumstances under which he joined the Naxal outfits and make efforts to find solution for them. An official release from the state police also asserted that the rationale behind the initiative is that even those who have chosen to break the law should be treated humanely once they are injured and have been brought to the police custody. ADG (Head-Qurarter) BB Pradhan and IG (Human Rights) MS Bhatia visited lalmuni and handed over the fruits as a good-will gesture and showcase the commitment of Jharkhand Police to treat injured Naxals with a humane approach.