Jamshedpur, Aug 18: Amidst rise in Maoist violence in Kolhan region, Deputy inspector general, Kolhan, Rajiv Ranjan Singh presided over a high-level meeting of senior cops from Odisha and West Bengal along with superintendents of police of different districts to review the law and order situation. In view of the prevailing COVID-19 situation, the meeting was held through video conferencing.
Hanumantha Rawat, DIG, CRPF, West Singhbhum District Superintendent of Police, Indrajit Mahtha, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Headquarters) Sudhir Kumar were among those present. Top cops from Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Sundargarh, Rourkela area of Odisha and Jhargram and Purulia district of West Bengal also attended the meeting.
“The meeting was called to frame a strategy to combat rising Naxal activities in bordering areas of three states. During the meeting the officials of police and paramilitary forces exchanged of information regarding the naxals movement in areas of concern like and Kiriburu in Kolhan areas with �Purulia, Burdwan and West Midnapore districts in Bengal and also with Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Sundergarh districts in Odisha,” said an official.
During the meeting it was decided to step up vigil in the bordering areas. The officials said that additional check posts would be set in bordering areas to put a check on movement of ultras.
�We have found that the ultras have been active in the bordering areas of Odisha, West Bengal and Jharkhand. They act in one State and easily cross and hide in another State. We have to work together and share intelligence and records of ultras so that they could be flushed out,� said another police official.
He said such a border district co-ordination meeting should be held every month from now on until the rebels are not wiped out.
Since the three neighbouring States have been worst hit by the Naxal activities, the police administrations have agreed to exchange of the list of Naxalites and criminals and check Maoists intrusion into Jharkhand.
The top cops also decided that the para-military forces and police along with civil administration will be holding further meetings on formulating strategy to check movements of criminals and Maoists. Apart from setting up inter-state and inter-district check-points, long range patrolling will be stepped up.