C’garh: Post-Maoist Bastar, Security Of 116 Political Leaders To Be Downgraded
Chhattisgarh will downgrade security for 116 BJP and Congress leaders in Bastar as Maoist activity declines and security forces withdraw from the region.
With Leftwing Extremism losing its sting in Bastar in Chhattisgarh, the state government is reviewing security provided to the political leaders of the region, who were in the hitlist of Maoists, officials said on Thursday.
The state government has decided to downgrade security provided to 116 political leaders, belonging to both the ruling BJP and the Opposition Congress, in the region, official sources said.
Security of 116 political leaders of Bastar is going to be downgraded in the changed situation, deputy chief minister Vijay Sharma, who holds home portfolio, has indicated.
A notification in this regard will be issued by the state government very soon, officials said.
Bastar division, comprising seven districts of Bastar, Kanker, Kondagaon, Sukma, Narayanpur, Bijapur and Dantewada, was declared free of armed Naxal activities on March 31.
The phased withdrawal of Central Para Military Forces (CPMF), deployed for counterinsurgency operations in Bastar, has begun, paving the way for the security camps to turn into residential tribal schools and public welfare Centers.
Two security camps in Abujhmad, a former Maoist fort in Narayanpur district under south Bastar, have been converted into hostels for tribal school students following withdrawal of the Central forces.
The security camp in Bhatpal has been turned into a hostel for 150 tribal school students.
Another security camp in Kurusnar has been converted into a hostel for 110 tribal school students.
While Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) 41 battalion had established the Bhatpal security camp, the Border Security Force (BSF) 135 battalion had opened the security camp at Kurusnar.
Both the security camps were opened around a decade and a half ago to tackle Naxalism.
Similarly, the security forces deployed in a CRPF camp in Renganar in Dantewada district in south Bastar were withdrawn, leading to transition of the facility as ‘Seva Dera (public service/skill Centre)’.
More than 65,000 personnel from CPMFs were deployed across the seven districts of Bastar division to combat Maoism.
The key units of CPMFs deployed in Bastar include the CRPF, and its specialized units like CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action), alongside forces like Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).
Around 400 operational camps and forward bases span the Bastar region.