There is no resurgence of any splinter group of naxals in Latehar district, where in the past two weeks there has been some ‘disturbances’ by ‘criminals’ who ‘assemble together’ and walk down with evil design, said State DGP D K Pandey.
Reiterating his stand DGP said, “It is no resurgence of splinter group of naxals (read JJMP or PLFI) in Latehar in recent weeks. All the disturbances created there are the handiwork of the criminals. These bunch of criminals just four or five or six in numbers get together, do arson and leave behind leaflets at the site where they have created disturbances all for extraction of levy and extortion.”
The DGP responded to a query from the Pioneer as to whether naxal outfits like the splinter group of CPI Maoists the JJMP and the PLFI are once again rearing its head since four police stations of Latehar district namely Mahuadarn, Netarhat, Chandwa, Balumath saw a spate of naxal violence in just two to three weeks there wherein property crime was committed by way of putting afire bikes, trucks, tractor, generator sets, road making equipments etc. Trucks were even burnt at Bukru check post in Latehar district.
Sources said it was not only Latehar which saw convulsions like this but the adjoining district Garhwa’s Ramkanda police station too has seen a couple of naxal violence by way of arson of property there too. There were identical disturbances on the axis of Gumla – Simdega too recently said sources.
The DGP went on to say, “There has been incidents of arson here in these districts but the cases have been detected in just 24 hours. Police have even identified the criminals. Many have been put behind the bars. I will ask DIG Palamu Vipul Shukla to give details of police crackdown against these violators of law.”
The DGP conceded that railway coal siding and coal transportation here in Latehar district has led to this spurt in violence saying, “Railway coal siding and transportation in Balumath areas are now being eyed with greed and lust by these people who form a group and create disturbance.”
“We will eliminate them too. This is a new fight over opportunity by the criminals to make space for them” said the DGP.
Functional components are being set up and things will stabilize soon here. There would come up 5 more security camps here in this district said DGP.
Asked if drought would cause aberration from the side of the extremists here in this range where two districts of Palamu police range Garhwa and Palamu are a notified drought hit district while just one block of Latehar has been declared drought hit by the government DGP said, “ The government is too pro active. It is handling the situation quite meticulously.
To say that drought will impact extremism too is to be seen and watched.”
DIG Palamu Vipul Shukla said, “The two coal blocks Amarpali and Magadh in Latehar are the cynosure of those elements who vie for levy from coal. There have been noticeable incidents in Chandwa and Balumath police stations. It is primarily for extortion. Police will neutralize them soon.”
Shukla further said JJMP, PLFI and CPI Maoists know full well the strategic advances of security forces on them and hence resurgence of them or any of them has just no chance and corroborating the version of his DGP Pandey, DIG Shukla reiterated that coal blocks, coal extraction and coal transportation are the issues that matter to these people.
The DIG claimed that police have tightened the noose around those who used to extract money from the truck drivers here. The curbs on economy are set to trigger such problems he admitted. Four such property destroyers have been jailed only last week added the DIG.