Stringent measures in place to curb ganja growth
Speaking to a select group of media persons in Visakhapatnam on Monday, the DIG suggested that the eradication of cannabis should be given high priority. He appealed to the media to help create awareness among people against ganja use, its implications and sensitise youths against drug abuse.
Further, the DIG said that compared to the past five years, Maoist activities in the Andhra-Orissa border have decreased. He underlined that the media acts as a powerful tool to sensitise people.
The Visakhapatnam Range DIG mentioned that in the few months, the cultivation of ganja has come down in North Andhra districts. This was achieved with the cooperation of officials, strict enforcement measures taken and incentives offered to the ganja cultivators for switching to alternative crops. This part, the police intend to include people's participation in tackling the major challenge faced in the undivided Visakhapatnam and neighbouring districts. Youngsters are going to play a proactive role in creating awareness among masses, passing the information about peddlers to the police.
The Visakhapatnam Range police reached out to 3,000 educational institutions and carried out 11,000 awareness programmes on the implications of ganja menace in the past one year. Nabbing the peddlers, seizing their properties and encouraging tribals to eradicate ganja cultivation were some of the extensive programmes carried out by the police.
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Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Chhattisgarh: 66 Maoists surrender across five Bastar districts
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Indian Express
10 hours ago
- Indian Express
66 Maoists, Rs 2.54 crore bounty, 5 districts and a single-day surrender in Bastar
As many as 66 Maoists, including 49 with a combined bounty of Rs 2.54 crore, surrendered before the police in five districts of Chhattisgarh's Bastar region on Thursday. With this, the total number of surrendered Maoists in the last 18 months, which saw an unprecedented number of anti-Maoist operations, rose to 1,570 — a significant increase when compared to the 2022-2023 period, when 813 had surrendered. Thursday's surrenders come amid a new initiative from the security forces, called 'Poona Margham', a Gondi term that means 'new path'. Under this initiative, the security forces will focus more on reaching out to families of Maoists for help in persuading them to surrender. The seniormost Maoist cadre to surrender on Thursday was 37-year-old Ramanna Irpa, alias Jagdish, alias Vikesh, who was a Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) member carrying a reward of Rs 25 lakh. A resident of Basaguda in Bijapur district, Ramanna had been active for two decades and has at least 30 cases against him, including murders. On the effort that went into getting him to surrender, a police source said, 'We were trying to get him to surrender for three months. We had contacted his family and were persuading them to get him to surrender, and finally, he surrendered with his family's help.' Giving credit to the Poona Margham initiative for the large number of surrenders on Thursday, Inspector General of Police for Bastar range, Sundarraj P, said, 'Our repeated appeals to Maoist cadres to give up violence and return to the mainstream are showing encouraging results. The surrender of 66 cadres, including a state-level committee member, across five districts in a single day is a strong indication that the Naxal outfit is approaching its end.' Bijapur SP Jitendra Yadav said, 'With the establishment of new security camps in interior regions and improved access to roads, transport, drinking water, electricity, and other public welfare schemes, development is now reaching the remotest villages. Widespread disillusionment with Maoist ideology, increasing internal conflicts within the outfit, and a strong desire to live a peaceful and secure family life are among the primary reasons behind these surrenders.' While surrendering with weapons makes the cadres eligible for cash rewards, a senior officer said none of the 66 had done so. 'None of them surrendered with weapons. They never surrender with weapons as they fear their families will be targeted by Maoists, which has happened in the past,' the officer said. The surrendered cadres include one DKSZC member, four divisional committee members, 10 People's Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA) cadres, 15 area committee members, seven local organisation squad members, and 29 other rank cadres.
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Time of India
66 Maoists carrying cash bounty of Rs 2.31cr surrender in Chhattisgarh
RAIPUR: As many as 66 Maoists, including 49 top rank cadres carrying a cumulative bounty of Rs 2.31crore, on Thursday surrendered before police and paramilitary officials across five districts of Chhattisgarh's Bastar division. There were four women Maoists among those who surrendered. About 1,570 Maoists have renounced violence and surrendered in the past 18 months. Most of the top-ranking Maoists who surrendered were from Bijapur district. These cadres include state zonal committee member (SZCM) Ramanna Irpa, carrying cash bounty of Rs 25 lakh. He surrendered along with 24 others. They carried a total bounty of Rs 1.15 crore. "Maoists, with a bounty of Rs 2.31crore, have surrendered in Bastar division under the 'Poona Margham' (rehabilitation and social integration) campaign," Bastar range IGP P Sundarraj said. Ramanna alias Jagdish alias Vikesh, a 37-year-old SZCM from Bijapur, was considered the "nerve centre" of Maoist operations in the Red Corridor linking Malkangiri in Odisha, Sukma, and Bijapur in Chhattisgarh. He was active since 2002 and commanded company number 8. Ramanna oversaw jungle warfare training, arms procurement, and coordinated major attacks on security forces across Odisha and Chhattisgarh and was involved in at least 40 incidents of violence. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Access all TV channels anywhere, anytime Techno Mag Learn More Undo "I joined the Maoist organisation inspired by the 'Jal-Jungle-Jameen' campaign. But, in the past 25 years, promises that the organisations made were never met and no development done. It's a hollow ideology," Ramanna told mediapersons in Bijapur. "This transformation is not a coincidence, but a clear testament to the widespread acceptance of our govt's surrender and rehabilitation policy and welfare-oriented initiatives. Programmes like the Niyad Nellanar Yojana have laid a strong foundation of trust in tribal-dominated regions," Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai said. In Dantewada district, 15 Maoists surrendered, including five carrying a total reward of Rs 17lakh. Budhram alias Lalu - a DVCM -- and his wife Kamli alias Moti Potavi, an area committee member, topped the list, with bounties of Rs 8lakh and Rs 5lakh, respectively. The duo was associated with the movement for over two decades. Another major surrender unfolded in Kanker district with 13 Maoists, carrying a combined bounty of Rs 62lakh. The most high-profile among them was Manglu alias Rupesh alias Arun Komra, a military company number one commander, wanted for a series of deadly ambushes between 2006 and 2024. He carried a bounty of Rs 10lakh.
