Nagpur:
Naxal activities have declined in Maharashtra as Naxalites in Gadchiroli, Chandrapur and Gondia districts of the state are facing a shortage of cadre following zero-recruitment in the last few years, a top police official said.
There is a drop in Naxal-related crime as well their activities over a period due to cadre shortage and increase in the number Naxal arrests as well as surrenders, Additional Director General of Police, Anti-Naxalites Operation (ANO), Pankaj Gupta said.
The arrest of Saroj Akka, wife of a Central committee member Lanka Papi Reddy in November 2008 was the biggest achievement of the police last year.
Reddy surrendered before Andhra Police sometime back.
Similarly, the surrender of a Dalam commander Suresh Maitu Harami in October 2008, before Gadchiroli police also boosted the anti-Naxal movement, he said.
Also, major heads in Naxal related crime including blasts, attack on policemen and civilians, arson, kidnapping, dacoity and robberies, sabotages and other offences have shown a downword trend since last four years, Gupta said.
According to statistics, only 85 such offences were recorded last year against 114 in year 2007, 128 in year 2006 and 134 in the year 2005, he said.
Besides, the number of encounters with Naxals was 24 in 2008 dropping from 34 and 40 in 2007 and 2006 respectively against 24 in 2005, he added.
But the surrender policy which the Maharashtra government has extended from time to time to allow more cadres to join the main stream still continues to attract Naxals who want to live in peace, Gupta said.