Chhattisgarh ups security after Maoists threat
By IANSTuesday, January 25, 2011
RAIPUR - Security was stepped up across Chhattisgarh and forces were relocated to vulnerable areas of Bastar region Tuesday in the wake of inputs that rebels may carry out attacks on Republic Day Wednesday.
“Security forces always maintain extra vigil in Maoist strongholds but ahead of the Republic Day function, troopers were relocated in jungle areas vulnerable to attacks by rebels,” a senior police officer told IANS here.
He said that security has been heightened in and around government buildings in the sprawling 40,000 sq km Bastar area as updated intelligence inputs indicate that rebels may strive to hit forces or civilians on Republic Day.
The mineral rich Bastar region - made up of five districts Narayanpur, Kanker, Bastar, Bijapur and Dantewada - is considered to be the nerve centre of Maoist extremism in India since the late 1980s as rebels run a parallel government in its vast forested interiors.
Besides Bastar, security has also been strengthened in Rajnandgaon district and interiors of Raipur, Mahasamund and Dhamtari districts where the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) has made significant inroads in the past one year.
Nearly two thousand people have been killed in Chhattisgarh in Maoist violence, including over a thousand civilians since the state came into existence in November 2000.
