"Maoist Problem In Its Last Stage": Top Jharkhand Cop

The Maoist problem in Jharkhand is in its last stage as the security forces have launched a coordinated assault to wipe out the menace, Director General of Police, Ajay Kumar Singh said on Sunday.

The 'Maoist hotbed and training Centre' in Jharkhand - Budha Pahad - on the border with Chhattisgarh was recently captured by security forces after over three decades of Maoist dominion.

Singh, a 1989-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer was appointed as the new Director General of Police of Jharkhand earlier this month.

"The Maoist problem in Jharkhand is in its last stage. Whatever remains it needs to be tackled. We have enough manpower and expertise to do it and we will be able to reduce it further", Singh told PTI in an interview.

A total of 31 Maoists including regional committee members, zonal, sub zonal and area commanders were gunned down in last three years while 1,319 were arrested including polit bureau and central committee members.

As many as 44 new forward operating bases were set up in core areas impacted by Maoists.

Singh said not only Maoist problem but his priority would be to improve the overall law and order situation and reduction of crime in the state by taking stern action against organised crime.

"Access of the general public to the police station ...to the power machinery should be without any hassle....My effort will be that the police station should not instil fear, rather it should be seen as a support system. Its working will be improved ...," the top cop told PTI.

Moreover, there is still a need for city policing, community policing and policing with a human face.

"These are my priority areas. We can start community policing and focus should be to check crime against women, assistance to the aged...It would be my endeavour to instil confidence among the masses through community policing," he said.

Asked about the incidents of lynching, branding women as witches and nature of crime in tribal areas, he said apart from criminal point of view there is a social aspect also.

"There is a need to create awareness in rural areas. Side by side if there is awareness, these kinds of things can be reduced. We will take into confidence local people, village elders and other community leaders also," the DGP emphasised.

Asked about opium trade in the state, he said the areas under cultivation have been identified.

"Action is taken every season. Action is taken against them. We take support from the central agencies also and this will be checked," he said.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren last month had visited captured 'Maoist hotbed and training Centre' Budha Pahad that was captured by joint security forces after over three-decades of Maoist dominance.

Joint security forces comprising CRPF's CoBRA (Commando Battalion of Resolute Action) unit, in a coordinated long operation codenamed 'octopus', 'double bull' and 'thunderstorm' had managed to free 'Budha Pahad' in Garhwa and Latehar in Jharkhand, some 150 km from state capital Ranchi that till last year used to shelter top Maoist commanders from Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Odisha and Maharashtra.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)