In a bid to make Parasnath hills a Naxal-free zone, intensive search operations are being conducted in the area for the last five days during which at least two Naxal camps were demolished and arms and ammunitions have also been recovered from their locations. According to police, exchange of fire also took place at several locations but no casualty has so far been reported from any of the sides.
“Search operations under ‘Operation Vijay’ has been going on continuously for the last five days during which some exchange of fire has also took place between the security forces and the CPI (Maoists) without having any casualty from any of the the sides. At leat two camps were also demolished during the operations and several arms and ammunitions were also recovered from their locations,” said Giridih SP Akhilesh B Verior.
The police, according to the sources, have also been taking help of helicopter to locate the movement of the CPI (Maoist) cadres, who are supposed to have been cornered by the security forces from three sides. Security forces of three districts—Giridih, Dhanbad and Bokaro are moving inside the Parasnath jungles, said a police official requesting anonymity.
“If everything goes well according to the plan, Parasnath will be declared Naxal free within three - four days. The security forces this time are in a strong position ambushing the area from the three sides without giving any space to the rebels to run away,” said the official. Sources also revealed that the rebels 30-35 in numbers have been held up in the western part of Parasnath and are looking for an opportunity to safely get away from the area.
The operation is being conducted to make Parasnath a naxal free zone following the incident of serial IED blasts at at Chitpur village under Topchanchi police station of Dhanbad, which took place recently targeting a police party. As many as six CRPF personnel received serious injuries during the serial blast where at least 45 IEDs were triggered in a row by the CPI (Maoists) within seconds.
Efforts are also being made to bring Parasnath action plan on the ground where the area is to be developed on the lines of Vaishno Devi providing all the modern facilities to the tourists like construction of helipad atop Parasnath, putting proper lightening on the roads and construction of all reads converging towards it.