Area controlled by Maoists has shrunk in three states: DG CRPF

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) claimed on Wednesday that area controlled by Maoists has “shrunk in three states in last two and a half years”.

Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar, the CRPF Director General, however, admitted that South Bastar remains to be an area of problem.

He said, “There is substantial decline in areas controlled by Naxals in Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal. Disturbance in these areas are very less. Our major concern in South Bastar in Chhattisgarh.”

The force faced a deadliest ambush , in which 25 men of the CRPF died in April in Sukma area. It was well-planned massacre carried out by nearly 300 Maoists.

He said that after the attack, the force has changed their strategy to deal with Maoists. “In all ten left wing affected extremism states CRPF is deployed and working in close collaboration with state police forces and other central agencies,” he said.

Further he stressed that in last two and half years, there has been an overall reduction in violence and increase in surrenders, apprehensions and neutralization of Maoists. It is a reflection of efficacy of our operations and capacity building measures adopted by the force.

He also said that to deal with Naxals in bastar, CRPF is raising …read more