A galaxy of top brasses from Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Intelligence Bureau (IB) along with Director Generals of Police (DGPs) from 10 states and senior officials of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) converged in the state capital for taking part in a crucial meeting at Police Headquarters (PHQ) here to devise a robust offensive for eradicating leftwing insurgency from Bastar – the epicentre of leftwing insurgency in country. The high-level meeting holds a pivotal strategic importance since Union Home Minister Amit Shah reaffirmed the government’s resolute commitment to eliminate the Maoist insurgency within three years during his recent visit to Chhattisgarh in January this year. The extensive meeting, which witnessed active participation from officers deployed in Bastar, including paramilitary forces, IB, and police officials, was also necessitated since the voting for Lok Sabha seat of Maoist-hotbed Bastar will take place on April 19. In a prelude to spearhead this initiative, Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Intelligence Bureau (IB) Chief Tapan Kumar Deka had commenced their two-day visit to Chhattisgarh on Wednesday.

 

“Top brasses during the meeting indicated that the government is prepared to address the Maoist insurgency with the same vigour on the lines of counter-terrorism operations in Kashmir. Virtual participation of senior police officers from Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh also underscored the collaborative approach adopted to eradicate the Maoist insurgency,” knowledgeable sources averred to The Hitavada, requesting anonymity. According to the sources, the agenda of the meeting, spearheaded by the Chief Secretary and IB Director, zeroed in on ensuring electoral peace during the fast upcoming Lok Sabha elections, apart from devising robust strategies for Maoist violenceafflicted regions. “Strategic plans were unveiled to implement ‘Target-Based Operations akin to those in Kashmir’, deploying specialised teams to conduct thorough surveillance of Maoist activities. The meeting emphasised launching covert operations against Maoist factions based on insights from the Intelligence Bureau. The focus was on actionable intelligence and implementing TargetBased Operations to dismantle the Maoist insurgency effectively,” the sources elucidated. Sources further disclosed that prominent officials from Chhattisgarh including Chief Secretary Amitabh Jain and DGP Ashok Juneja actively participated in the discussions, along with representatives from CRPF and other central agencies.

 

The recent successful operations against Maoist insurgents in Bijapur were acknowledged by the senior officials, reflecting the progress made in the fight against insurgency. “Addressing operational challenges including resource deficits, Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Tapan Kumar Deka emphasised the importance of refining the Target Best Approach with a focus on meticulous target identification,” the sources disclosed. “The Government’s proactive measures to confront the Maoist insurgency in Chhattisgarh demonstrate a resolute effort to bring about peace and stability to the region. With high-level meetings, collaborative strategies, and targeted operations, there is a clear commitment to address the roots of the insurgency and safeguard the democratic process during the upcoming elections,” a senior IPS official, one among several attendees in the meeting, told this newspaper reporter. Meanwhile, as per the sources, senior officials from Chhattisgarh and neighboring states along with heads of central security forces also engaged in virtual meetings to discuss inter-state coordination on law and order.