Bhopal: Naxalites burnt vehicles involved in road construction work in Balaghat district on Saturday evening. The police have launched a search operation in the area to counter the activities. The activities of the extremist group have been increasing in the Naxal violence-affected areas of the state.
The recent activity was reported under Lanji police station where the road is under construction from Devarbala Chowk to Malkua village under the Road Connectivity in Left-Wing Extremism-affected Areas scheme. The ADG, anti-Naxal operations, GP Singh, said that around 10 to 12 Naxalites had burnt two tractors and one truck involved in the road construction.
On Saturday evening, the Naxalites reached the spot and asked the labourers to vacate the area and set the vehicles afire. It is suspected that it could be the work of the Malajkhand Dalam, one of the outfits working under the umbrella of the Naxal organisations. Singh added that the area is one of the worst Naxalite violence-affected areas. In 2019, two Naxalites had been gunned down in this area by the security forces.
Naxals’ worst enemy
The Naxalites, apparently, do not want development work to progress in the region because the tribals would then become aware of the new world and they would not come under the influence of the Naxalites. Roads are one of the worst enemies of Naxalites as the road not only allows free movement to tribals, but also ensure timely action of the police against them.
An alert has been circulated in the area that, if the contractor wants police security to construct the road, the department is going to provide the service.
Earlier incidents
July 9, 2019: 2 wanted Maoists, including a woman cadre, were gunned down in an encounter in the dense forests of the Lanji area of Balaghat district. The slain Maoists were identified as Mangesh and Nande, carrying a reward of Rs 14 lakh each declared by the Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra governments.
December 12, 2020: The Balaghat police gunned down two women Naxalites under Kiranpur police station in a span of two days. One Sobha was killed in cross-firing on the night of December 11. She was a resident of the Gadchiroli area of Chhattisgarh state. One more woman, Savitri, was killed in the encounter in the morning. She was a resident of Gangnoor, from the Bijapur area of Chhattisgarh state. The police seized an InSAS rifle and live cartridges.
