Major success to security forces against Naxals, J&K terrorists

In the space of just two days, the country has seen two major positive markers on the internal security front. The elimination of 37 naxals over the course of two day in Garhchiroli and the removal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act in Meghalaya after 27 years apart from 8 police stations in Arunachal indicate that the Modi govt is living up to its promises on the internal security front.

Progress in eradication of terrorism in the country has also been made with Operation All Out in Jammu & Kashmir. The concerted efforts by the centre in the filed of internal security is bearing results.

While hard work and constant vigil by the security forces have been very successful in containing and eliminating maoist menace in many parts of the nation, reducing footprint of terror in the north east has ushered in new vistas of development.

First one of the most decisive blow inflicted upon the maoists. In Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra, the death count of maoists killed in a fierce battle with with C-60 squad of commandos of the Maharashtra Police has risen to 37 after 15 more bodies of Maoistswere recovered.

In the operation by C-60 squad in Kasanasur jungle area, 16 bodies of Naxals including 9 men and 7 women were recovered on April 22. Due to heavy rain and paucity of manpower, search was stopped. The operation resumed on Monday and 15 more bodies were recovered in Indravati river.

Search for more bodies and weapons is still going on. meanwhile on 23 April, in another operation in Kapewancha area of Rajaram Khandla post six Naxals were killed and their bodies recovered. These include two men and four women, the official said.

Naxal commander Sainath and Sonu are among those eliminated in the encounter. Security forces are evidently ecstatic about the huge achievement.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has been implementing the ‘National Policy and Action Plan’ since 2015 to combat Left Wing Extremism.

This envisages a multi-pronged strategy involving security and development related measures. MHA had categorized 106 districts in 10 states as Left Wing Extremism affected.

Over the last four years, there has been a substantial improvement in the LWE scenario. Incidents of violence have seen a 20% decline with a 34% reduction in related deaths in 2017 as compared to 2013.

The geographical spread of LWE violence also shrunk from 76 districts in 2013 to just 58 districts in 2017.

Besides, just 30 of these districts account for 90% of the LWE violence in the country. Accordingly, 44 districts have been excluded and 08 new districts have been added to the list.

Centre has stressed the importance of peoples cooperation and participation to improve the scenario in the country. At the same time security scenario has been constantly improving in the north east region of the nation.

The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, which empowers security forces to conduct operations has been removed from all areas of Meghalaya from March 31.

Further its area of operation in Arunachal Pradesh has been restricted to three police stations bordering Assam and three districts neighbouring Myanmar.

In Arunachal Pradesh, areas under the AFSPA have been reduced from 16 police stations areas bordering Assam to eight police stations.

The decision was taken due to a significant improvement of security situation in the state.

According to sources there has been a substantial improvement in security situation in the north-eastern states over the last four years.

2017 recorded the lowest insurgency incidents and casualties among civilians and security forces during the last two decades since 1997.

Across the north-east, there has been a huge reduction of 96 per cent in casualties among the security forces from 289 in 1997 to 12 in 2017.

Civilian casualties also dropped by 96 per cent from 907 in the year 2000 to 37 last year. Insurgency incidents during the same period reduced by 85 per cent from 1963 to 308

In J&K operation all out continues to strike at the core of terror network in the state with security forces maintaining tight vigil in the troubled areas.