latehar police chief Anoop Birtharey took stock of the preparedness of his police force in the wake of coming Independence Day. On Wednesday August 10 Birtharey held his crime meeting with his officers and discussed measures to pre-empt any Maoist aberration. Sources said the latehar police have left nothing to chance but are trying to pull out all stops for a peaceful and incident free I Day celebrations.
Birtharey said ' I held my crime meeting on Wednesday today. It was a very important meeting in the sense that either before 15 th August or on 15 th August itself Maoists may indulge in inane offence to get into limelight'.
When reminded that top Maoist Sudhakarji of Andhra Pradesh along with his 20 never say die ultras is holed up in a forest Pundaag in Garu police station Birtharey said ' Sudhakar is definitely in Garu's jungle. He is with his cadres. We are cautious. We are alert. We understand pre 15 th August and 15 th August both the days are vital for us and our boys will thwart any move of the Maoists..'
Sources said Maoists indulge in crimes on such occasions more to hog the space in news papers. Birtharey too did not disagree with this Maoists' penchant for publicity saying ' We had our operation against the Maoists in and around Burha Pahar on the border of latehar Garhwa where the security forces scoured the jungles bringing back the heat on the Maoists'.
Asked if Sudhakar has moved towards Mahuadarn from Garu SP latehar said quite assertively, “This Maoist is still in Garu.”