Taking lessons from the past elections, the State police have categorically told the Centre to send only such central paramilitary forces for the forthcoming parliamentary elections, who have experience in fighting against the Maoists in difficult terrain.
Director General of Police (DGP) Rajiv Kumar in an exclusive interview told The Pioneer that the paramilitary forces will be given special training and familiarised with the area before they are deployed to ensure free and peaceful elections. Jharkhand happens to be a stronghold of Maoists and as many as 349 incidents of extremist-related violence killing as many as 26 security personnel, 126 civilians and 32 rebels were registered in 2013. That despite the fact that the Maoist related incidents came down last year as compared to 2011 and 2012.
The Maoists had killed seven BSF personnel in latehar by triggering a landmine during elections in 2009. They had also attacked CRPF contingents and blew up a school building. “latehar is one area where we will take extra precautionary measures given the past history of poll related violence,” the DGP said.The DGP said that we have already launched operation against the Maoists in several districts and ready to launch a massive drive to cleanse the vulnerable areas so that the candidates could campaign safely and the electorate exercise their franchise without any fear.
The last two months-January and February-have been quite successful for the police. As compared to 73 incidents, 34 casualties, besides killing of 14 police personnel during the period in 2013, there have been 33 incidents killing 11 persons and one policeman this year. Kumar said that the Maoists are on the run due to continuing operation, large scale desertion of their ranks and greater presence of forces on the ground. “They have themselves admitted that they have got weakened. But we are taking no chances,” the DGP said.
On the speculations that the bloody intergroup war will intensify in Gumla-Khunti-Simdega areas following murder of Tileshwar Sahu, the DGP said that it can’t be ruled out. “But we will not allow the situation to drift,” he maintained. On the political angle to Sahu’s killing, the DGP said that it is too early to say anything in this regard. “The PlFI is obviously behind the killing. But we are probing the case from all angles,” he pointed out.
The DGP said that the candidates need not worry to campaign during elections. “We have put a security system at the district, division and state level following the massacre in Chhattisgarh killing several Congress leaders. We have adequate number of forces, including 124 battalions of CRPF. Besides, we have a special cell at district and state level to monitor the movement of VIPs, including politicians and the two cells remain constantly in touch. Besides, the politicians have been given clear guidelines to inform the local police station about their movement,” he pointed out.
Maintaining that holding the elections peacefully a big challenge, the DGP said that this time we are keeping tab over the candidates who allegedly seek support of the Maoists to bolster their poll prospects. “law will take its own course if they are found taking support of the rebels,” he added. The BJP had made it a big issue during the last lok Sabha byelections in Jamshedpur. On the Maoists joining the poll race, the DGP said that they are welcome if they want to join the mainstream and reposes faith in democracy. “But we will deal with them sternly if they are found intimidating the voters to get favour,” he maintained.