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Anti-Naxal operations in Bastar suspended to facilitate Maoists-abducted Collector’s release | | As uncertainty looms over the release
of abducted Sukma district collector Alex Paul Menon, the State government has reportedly suspended the anti-Naxal operation in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region.
According to reports, the State government has asked the security forces engaged
in anti-Naxal operations not to conduct any offensive against the Maoists in Bastar
region till the Collector is freed by the ultras. Union Home Secretary R.K. Singh
earlier today said the Centre is providing all support to the Chhattisgarh Government
for Menon’s safe release. “We have been in touch with the state government. Whatever
support they are asking for is being given and will be given,” he told the media
here. The Union Home Secretary’s remarks came a day after the Maoists demanded
the release of eight of their jailed leaders in Chhattisgarh and a halt to ‘Operation
Green Hunt’ in exchange for the release of Menon. Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh Chief
Minister Dr. Raman Singh has convened a high-level meeting in Raipur today to
decide on the future course of action in wake of the new demands put by the ultras
for the Collector’s safe release. Chhattisgarh Government has set up a cabinet
sub-committee to deal with the situation arising out of Menon’s abduction by the
Maoists. The four-member committee will look into all aspects of the issue that
may lead to the safe and early release of Menon. The committee will have State
Home Minister Nankiram Kanwar, Public Construction Minister Brij Mohan Agrawal,
SC/ST Welfare Minister Kedar Kashyap and Water Resources Minsiter Ram Bichar Netam
as its members. The decision to set up the committee was taken at an emergency
meeting chaired by Chief Minister Dr. Raman Singh last night. The Naxals have
demanded the release of their eight colleagues: Markam Gopanna alias Satyam Reddy,
Nirmal Akka alias Vijay Laxmi, Devpal Chandrashekhar Reddy, Shantipriya Reddy,
Meena Choudhari, Korsa Sunny, Markam Sunny and Asit Kumar Sen. The ultras also
want anti-Naxal Operation Green Hunt to be cancelled, security forces to be withdrawn
from the region and persons against whom they allege "fake cases" have been registered,
released from the jails. In an audacious operation, Maoist rebels on Saturday
abducted Alex Paul Menon, an IAS officer of 2006 batch, from the middle of a meeting
with villagers from Majhipara village in Keralapal area of the Naxal-infected
district. The Sukma district collector's kidnapping comes even as uncertainty
continues over the fate of ruling BJD MLA Jhina Hikaka in neighbouring Odisha
who was abducted by the Maoists about a month ago. Menon is the first collector
of the newly-created Sukma district and was known to be pro-active in undertaking
development work in the backward region.
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