Maharashtra Timeline 2015

Date

Incidents

January 13

Maharashtra Government is giving a big push to infrastructure development in Naxal affected districts and will also provide additional benefits to civil contractors and employees working there. The State Government has lined up INR 39.42 billion worth of projects in the LWE affected areas to improve connectivity.

A senior woman CPI-Maoist 'deputy commander' was arrested by the Gadchiroli District Police. Aruna alias Punai Devsingh Naitam (24), was picked up from Kangadi village on Gadchoroli-Rajnandgaon border in an intelligence-based operation, a press note issued by the Police said.

The CPI-Maoist cadres set on fire around 14 vehicles of an Andhra Pradesh-based private company engaged in road construction in Dhanora tehsil of Gadchiroli District. The Maoists roughed up a few labourers and their supervisor when the work on the Gharanji-Pustola stretch was underway for connecting road between Edampayali and Korkoti.

Indersa Parsa (50), elder brother of village Police warden, was killed by the CPI-Maoist cadres, suspecting him to be 'Police Informer' at Ghodezhari village in Dhanora tehsil in Gadchiroli District.

A 25-year-old man, identified as Naresh Yerawar, was killed by CPI-Maoist cadres in Gadchiroli District. His throat was slit and the Maoists also burnt his motorcycle, before fleeing into the forest, Police said.

The CPI-Maoist called for a bandh in five states, including Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, on February 20 to protest the anti-people's activities of the State and Central governments. In a press release, the Maoists' Central Regional Bureau 'spokesperson' Pratap accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Telangana CM K. Chandrasekhar Rao as well as the CMs of Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Maharashtra of implementing destructive and anti-people policies. He said the bandh would be observed for 24 hours but emergency services would be exempted.

Gadchiroli SP Sandip Patil has said that SFs are arresting only such CPI-Maoist cadres whose names or profiles were on Police record. Police have decided to avoid Maoist supporters in villages as a matter of policy. SP Patil claimed Police had also decided to avoid taking Maoist's jan militia members into custody unless their names featured as dalam members. "The gram raksha dal or area raksha dal members are not being arrested unlike in the past," he said.

The nine tehsils that were removed from the list of Naxal infested areas in Chandrapur District of Maharashtra are all set to be re-inducted into that list. CM Devendra Fadnavis has assured finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar that the excluded tehsils would be back into the list soon. The nine tehsils, namely Chandrapur, Ballarpur, Gondpipri, Rajura, Korpana, Jiwti, Mul, Saoli and Pombhurna were earlier among the Naxal affected areas. They were removed from the list on December 26, 2014. The decision had led to withdrawal of the 15% additional Naxal allowance given to government employees in these tehsils. Similarly, their share in the central government grants released for development of Naxal infested areas too was lost following the decision.

A 23-year-old CPI-Maoist cadre, who was carrying a reward of INR 200,000 on his head, was arrest by Gadchiroli District Police from Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border. The Maoist has been identified as Vinu Madavi alias Baburao, Police said. Madvi was responsible for procuring arms and ammunition for the Maoists, besides being involved in other crimes, Police added.

A forest guard and round officer were thrashed by senior CPI-Maoist cadres at Yedaskuhi village in Gadchiroli District to protest alleged corruption by their department. Senior Maoist cadre Vikas took an aggressive stance against foresters in the village in north Gadchiroli to convey their dissent against the department. Sources stated that the Maoists were trying to mount pressure on foresters and also on the local population for dominance during the forthcoming Tendu leaves picking season in the district which is a multi-crore seasonal industry. Maoists aim to collect substantial party funds from foresters, tendu contractors and transporters during this tendu season. The rebels also collect donations for the party from the tribal population who engages in picking tendu.

To counter mounting pressure from security forces, the Maoists are shifting focus to consolidating their base in villages in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli, Gondia and surrounding Districts like Rajnandgaon, Kanker and Bastar in Chhattisgarh, which were earlier their strongholds. The rebels' vision includes formation of Revolutionary People's Council, which will function parallel to local civic bodies like panchayat samities and zilla parishads, by following ideologies of the CPI-Maoist. The Maoists want to strengthen their political base at grassroots level and improve its strength by recruiting young cadets. The interrogation of a senior Naxal cadre, arrested by Gadchiroli Police last week, underlines the fact that the rebels are now striving hard to create active supporters in at least every family residing in their zone of operations.

Intelligence inputs coming from CRPF and IB have suggested that the growing alienation among tribal population in various CPI-Maoist strongholds in Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and parts of Bihar and Maharashtra has forced CPI-Maoist to order a study of socioeconomic impact of the central development schemes. The study has been ordered by the Eastern Regional Bureau of CPI-Maoist that supervises Maoist activities in Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Assam, Eastern Uttar Pradesh and North Chhattisgarh, sources said. The ERB has asked various state committees to undertake detailed study in villages and circulated a 19 column detailed pro-forma to be duly filled up by the surveyors. "The CPI (Maoist) has noted that if it has to spread and further revolution in the agrarian areas, it has to review its tactics in the light of socio-political and economic impact of the development schemes that have been there in the rural and tribal areas for the last two decades," said sources.

In their internal communications, the Maoist's have blamed these programmes for weaning away village level activists as they got involved in various contractual works associated with these schemes. Besides initiatives like Rs. 2 per kg rice for poor and Saranda action plan succeeded in misguiding some of its active cadres and sowed seeds of discord among them, the intelligence inputs note. The confiscated documents also suggest that some Maoist leaders lament the lack of maturity on part of some of its senior leadership for being unaware of changing ground realities and need for a comprehensive survey from a Marxist perspective.

A youth identified as Shahrukh Chand Khan (21), earlier questioned for alleged CPI-Maoist links, has been arrested by the Pune Police for allegedly trying to extort INR 200,000 from Ramesh Bagwe, the former minister of state for home affairs. An offence in this connection has been registered with Khadak Police Station in Pune in Maharashtra. A resident of Kasewadi slums in Bhavani Peth, Shahrukh and his friend, both associated with an organisation "Mass Movement" were questioned by the state ATS following the arrest of alleged Maoist couple Arun Bhelke and Kanchan Nanaware in September 2014. Bhelke had allegedly developed contacts with Mass Movement members while working as an underground operative of the golden corridor committee of the CPI-Maoist.

A CPI-Maoist cadre, who carried INR 200,000 reward on his head, was arrested in a joint operation by the Police and CRPF in Gadchiroli District, Police said. Arrested Maoist Ramesh Dhanoram Netam (43) was sent to judicial remand till March 26, said a release by Gadchiroli Police. He was a member of 'Tippagarh Dalam', Police said. A rifle and explosives were also seized from him.

Two Policemen - Joge Atram and Swaroop Kumar Amrutkar - were killed in an encounter between Gadchiroli Police and CPI-Maoist cadres in Hekker forest under Etapalli tehsil of Gadchiroli District. Reports that one more trooper was injured in the gun battle could not be confirmed. Sources claimed that search operations were underway in the forests under Jambiagutta outpost since last five days following intelligence about Maoists camping in the area. While the Police party was returning to the base after the daylong search operation late in the afternoon, they were ambushed by Maoists in Hekker forest, around 25 km from Jambiagutta outpost. Reports suggest that a fierce gun battle took place in which two troopers were killed and one was injured. There were also reports of Maoists triggering a landmine blast during the encounter, but that could not be confirmed.

A combined team of District Police at Malewada Police post and Wadsa Desaiganj QRT arrested three CPI-Maoist cadres, identified as Ramsai Dugga alias Kalidas, Mansaru Hidami alias Radha and Krishna Hidami alias Tulsiram, in Gadchiroli District of Maharashtra, during an area domination exercise which had stepped up vigilance in the backdrop of the forthcoming panchayat election. The cadres had rewards of INR 200,000 on each of their heads, and have been remanded in Police custody after being produced before court on the same day. While Kalidas and Radha were active for Tipagarh dalam of the north Gadchiroli, Gondia and Balaghat division of Maharashtra state committee, Tulsiram was part of Naxals' company 10 formation which operated in the northern side of the District along the Chhattisgarh border.

A CPI-Maoist couple, identified as Dasru Pungati alias Vikram (35) and his wife Nirmala (38), allegedly involved in the gun-battle at Chhote Baithiya BSF post in Chhattisgarh's Kanker District on April 12, were arrested from Burgi Pipili village in Gadchiroli District of Maharashtra. The two were active in Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border area for the past several years and were presently handling the Naxal activities in Bande area of Chhattisgarh, SHO of Bande Police Station Naresh Deshmukh said.

May 1

Suspected CPI-Maoist cadres killed two civilians in Gadchiroli District. Shailesh Kainglewar and Sinu Upasha, both resident of Dechalipetha village in Aheri division of Gadchiroli, were killed by the Maoists on the suspicion of being 'police informer'.

Ram Shinde, the Minister of State, Home (rural), Maharashtra, has stated that the State Government is contemplating to moot a proposal for polymer-made light weight bulletproof jackets for Constables deployed in critical high risk responsibilities like tackling Naxals.

The Maharashtra Government is considering a special three-year package to Policemen serving in CPI-Maoist affected areas, State Minister Ram Shinde said.

The Maharashtra ATS has arrested a top CPI-Maoist leader, identified as Ajith alias K. Muralidharan alias Thomas Joseph from a hospital at Talegaon Dabhade near Pune, who has been absconding for the last 25 years. According to ATS sources, he was arrested along with his young aide, identified as Ismail Hamza Chiragpilli alias Pravin alias James Mathew and produced before a special judge on May 9.

After holding an hour-long meeting with top officers of Maharashtra State Government and the region on anti- CPI-Maoist operations in the border districts of Gondia and Gadchiroli in Vidarbha region, the UMH Rajnath Singh expressed confidence that the Naxalite problem in the country would be resolved soon. "As soon as the new government came to power at the Centre, we offered an olive branch to the Naxalites. We are still hopeful that talks would resolve the matter. Meanwhile, we are adopting the two-pronged approach of development and strict security in the affected areas," said Singh. He claimed that in the last one decade, casualty rate of civilians and Security Forces from LWE attacks had dropped by 20 to 25 percent. "I am satisfied with the way the Maharashtra Police has taken up the challenge of meeting the Naxal threat. However, I have offered any additional assistance required from the centre," added Singh. He further said all pending projects and requirements of the affected areas were discussed at the meeting. Commenting on if Indian Army can be deployed to tackle LWE problem, especially in states like Chhattisgarh, he said several strategies were discussed at the meeting but he could not make them public at this stage. "We are confident that the problem would be resolved in near future," he added.

A final decision on future deployment of CRPF in CPI-Maoist-hit areas of Maharashtra will be taken by the Centre at end of September, 2015, said Additional Chief Secretary (Home) K P Bakshi. "We have requested Home Minister Rajnath Singh to let us continue using CRPF in Maoist-hit areas and not deploy ITBP in their place. He has granted our request for now and said that we will use CRPF until September, after which the Central Government will take a final call," said the Additional Chief Secretary (Home). He said that deployment of ITBP instead of CRPF would mean that Maharashtra has a lesser number of 'companies' patrolling Maoist areas.

The latest transfer order of the senior Police officers issued by the Maharashtra Government has exposed the casual approach of the State about curbing Naxal menace in the State.

A court in Pune has extended Police custody of CPI-Maoist leader K Muralidharan and his aide C P Ismail till May 21.

Local tribal population of Etapalli taluka in Gadchiroli District has decided to oppose CPI-Maoist atrocities in the name of people's movement after some rebels thrashed the villagers of Gattepalli. The villagers had earned the wrath of Maoists for plucking tendu leaves, a seasonal work for a large section of tribal population in Gadchiroli, without seeking their prior permission. The Maoists are learnt to have beaten up several villagers for joining the work of the tendu contractors keeping them out of the loop.

CPI-Maoist cadres killed a youth, identified as Ravindra Shankar Sunkri (24), at Kolsegudam village in Aheri tehsil in Gadchiroli District, whom they had abducted a few days ago. The Maoists abducted Ravindra, son of the Police patil of the village, on the suspicion that he was a 'Police informer' on May 16. Police said that Ravindra had been indeed working as a SPO between 2013 and September 2014. Around 15 armed Maoists had taken him away from his house.

Murali Kannamballi (62), a senior leader of the CPI-Maoist, who was arrested on May 8 by the ATS, Pune, will undergo a DNA test as part of the ongoing probe that includes fixing his identity in view of the several fake identities he used prior to his arrest. The court of special judge S V Mane extended the remand of Murali and his aide, Ismail Hamja CP, in ATS custody till May 25 to facilitate the probe, additional public prosecutor Vikas Shah said.

Maharashtra State Government has issued Government Resolution for the additional pay package for policemen working in Maoist-affected areas.

The Maharashtra State Government has now rolled out a 'unified command' mechanism to deal with the CPI-Maoist in the eastern part of the State. The 'unified command' will have officers from the security establishment and the Intelligence Bureau (IB), besides civilian officers representing the civil administration. The Chief Minister will head the command and a committee for integration and co-ordination at state government level will meet every two months.

To encourage Policemen to take up posting in Maoist-dominated areas of Gadchiroli, Aheri (Police district) and Gondia Districts, the Maharashtra State Government has decided to give them monetary benefits, an additional 50 percent of their salary every month.

The Gadchiroli Sessions Court in Maharashtra rejected the bail plea of CPI-Maoist sympathizer Assistant Professor Gokalkonda Naga Saibaba.

A senior CPI-Maoist cadre of Chhattisgarh, who had INR 500,000 reward on him, was arrested from Kasturba Hospital in Wardha District where the Maoist had been operated for hernia a day earlier. Rasul alias Anil Shauri (30), 'deputy commander' of local organization squad (LOS) of Bayanar and a local area committee member of East Bastar division in Narayanpur District of Chhattisgarh had more than 50 offences against him. Two of his accomplices, Raju and Mahesh, natives of Nalgonda village in Bhamragarh tehsil (revenue unit) of Gadchiroli District, were also arrested.

The Bombay High Court directed the Nagpur Central Jail authorities to shift Delhi University Assistant Professor GN Saibaba, who was arrested on May 9, 2014, for alleged links with the CPI-Maoist, to a private hospital for treatment.

Giving into the demands of Maharashtra, the NDA Government at the Centre is learnt to have decided not to replace the CRPF with ITBP from Gadchiroli District.

The Bombay High Court held that it was "inclined" to release G.N. Saibaba, Assistant Professor, University of Delhi, and the rejection of his earlier bail petitions needed to be re-examined as he was unwell. The Additional Sessions Court and the Nagpur Bench of the High Court had rejected the bail applications of G.N. Saibaba, who was arrested last year for alleged links with the CPI-Maoist.

Wheelchair-bound DU Assistant Professor G.N. Saibaba, charged under the UAPA for alleged CPI-Maoist links, has been granted bail after over a year, as the Bombay High Court, exercised powers to "protect" his fundamental rights.

CPI-Maoist cadres blew up a range office of the forest department at Decchli village in Aheri tehsil in Gadchiroli District, using LPG cylinders meant for distribution among tribals under a government scheme. All official documents were gutted in the explosion and the roof of the office blown off. The Maoists left a written warning that no villager should work for any forest department programme such as plantation, protection monitoring etc. "Around 50-60 Naxals came at midnight, took two of the cylinders in our stock to the range office and ignited a blast. All documents were gutted in the fire," said a senior forest official.

Nine wanted CPI-Maoist cadres surrendered before Police in Gadchiroli District. "The Maoist movement received a big jolt today when nine Maoists, including the 'section commander' of PLGA company No. 4, Irapa alias Pradip Kujur, laid down their arms and decided to come to mainstream. All of them were inspired by the surrender of senior Maoist leader Gopi and Vijay earlier this year," said a press statement issued by the office of SP, Gadchiroli. Apart from Irapa, his wife Sindhu, Kasansur Dalam member Rupesh, Kasansur area committee member Durgesh, Dalam member Kanhu, Platoon B member Raju, Korchi Dalam member Roja, platoon 14 member Akash and dalam member Subash also surrendered.

SFs arrested a senior cadre of the CPI-Maoist military wing PLGA, Sunil alias Chayan Singh Hidami, in Gadchiroli District.

CRPF organized a multi-agency police-intelligence coordination meeting attended by officials from Maharashtra and Chhattishgarh at the paramilitary forces' headquarters at Hingna in Nagpur District. The meeting was organized by CRPF camp, Gadchiroli, to spruce up operational strategies and improve coordination.

Around 30 to 40 uniformed CPI-Maoist cadres set ablaze an office of the forest department in Malewada village in Gadchiroli District. No one was injured in the incident, however, the furniture and important documents of the forest department were damaged in the fire.

17 LWEs, many of them hard core, surrendered before Maharashtra Police in the last one month in Gadchiroli District, a senior Police official said. Of the 17, 13 hail from Kotmi-Kasansoor which has been one of the most difficult LWE areas for the Police for last many years. "We have opened a new Police post at Kotmi in February and it has proved to be very effective," said Gadchiroli SP Sandip Patil. He further said "The surrender operations may gather momentum after first week of August, post 'Shaheed Week' observed from July 28 to August 3." Of the 17 LWES, nine carried a reward of over INR 3 million on their heads. During SP Patil's tenure 37 LWEs surrendered in 2014 and 24 in 2015. The new LWE surrender policy also comes with substantial cash reward and has been propagated across the district as 'Kaun Banega Lakhpati' scheme through posters in affected areas. Prominent LWEs, who have surrendered in past six months, are Gopi, 'commander' of Korchi 3 dalam and Vijay Dugga, 'commander' of Chatgaon dalam. Both carried a reward of INR 1.2 million on their head.

The Maharashtra State Police have so far arrested 1265 Naxalites and their sympathizers in the last one decade for perpetrating rebellion against the State. The Government also started its surrender policy in 2005 which was improved in January 2013. Till date, 479 LWEs have surrendered before Police and district administration under the policy.

A former CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Madhav Warlu Padda (38), was killed by his former colleagues with sharp weapons near Mauja-Kotmi village in Etapally region of Gadchiroli District. An official said Padda was eliminated by his Maoist colleagues who were against his decision to surrender. He had surrendered in November 2014. Padda before his surrender was with the Kasansoor Dalam of the CPI-Maoist for 10 years since 2005.

Police in Gadchiroli District have recovered a letter written by a Maoist to a top comrade expressing concerns about the weakening of the movement. "The letter is written by a local Naxal commander. Though it is addressed to one Comrade Mausi, we suspect it was meant for Narmada Aaka, who is a big Naxal leader and has been a guiding light for the Gadchiroli movement for Maoists. Narmada Aaka is currently believed to be hiding in the jungles of Abujhmad in Chhattisgarh," said an officer involved in counterinsurgency operations in Gadchiroli.

Arrested Central Committee member of the CPI-Maoist Vijay Arya has been brought to Gaya (Bihar) from Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) in connection with criminal cases pending against him in Gaya court. Arya was arrested from Katihar District (Bihar) in May 2011.

Police investigation revealed that the killing of Dhanlal Baiju Madavi, of Gajamendhi village in Dhanora taluka of Gadchiroli District by cadres of CPI-Maoist alleging him to be Police informer was actually an incident of settling score with the victim by the Maoists. During investigations, the Police found out that Dhanlal had some days ago protested when a gang of Maoists tried to harass a village girl.

A former deputy sarpanch of Godalwahi village in Dhanora taluka of Gadchiroli District, identified as Deorao Kirange's (26), was allegedly killed by CPI-Maoist cadres as they suspected him to be a Police informer.

While replying to a query by Jaywantrao Jadhav of the NCP in the monsoon session of the Maharashtra Legislative Council, CM Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio, admitted that the CPI-Maoist cadres are trying to create base in Mumbai-Nashik-Pune belt. "It has come to light that in the urban and industrial belts in these areas, the Maoists are trying to clandestinely propagate their ideology and are creating an impression that they are raising their voice on Dalit issues and attracting Dalit youth to the Maoist movement," noted CM Fadnavis.

Critical posts dealing with anti-CPI-Maoist operations in Maharashtra Police remain vacant for over a year. Positions like Inspector General of Police (Anti Naxal Operations), Deputy Inspector General of Police (Gadchiroli range) and Superintendent of Police Special Action Group (SAG) have no full time officers assigned. In addition, even the post of Principal of the Unconventional Operations Training Centre (UOTC) where Maharashtra Police personnel train before induction into insurgency-affected regions has only been filled recently after remaining vacant for months.

Police busted a CPI-Maoist hideout in Gadchiroli District and recovered cache of sophisticated explosives, arms and ammunition. Gadchiroli SP Sandeep Patil said that the Police personnel have launched a search operation to arrest the Maoists.

A 'central committee' member of the CPI-Maoist, Sridhar Srinivasan alias Vijay alias Vishnu, died of heart attack, the CPI-Maoist said in a press statement. Srinivasan was active in Mumbai, Pune and Vidarbha regions. In its statement, CPI-Maoist spokesperson Abhay said Srinivasan's death was a "major blow." The 'central committee' member carried a cash reward of INR Six million in Chhattisgarh alone, besides rewards in several other states.

A woman cadre of CPI-Maoist was killed in an encounter with Gadchiroli Police near Phulbodi Gatta in Dhanora tehsil of Gadchiroli District. Three Police parties took on the combined strength of Pendhri and Chatgaon dalams of the Maoists during the encounter.

Earlier, another encounter took place around noon at Somanpalli in Sironcha tehsil, after the Police got intelligence inputs. While there were no casualties even as the encounter continued for about 30 minutes, the Police recovered some Naxal literature.

The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court granted bail to JNU student Hem Mishra, who was arrested by the Maharashtra Police in August 2013 for alleged Maoist links.

The Bombay High Court extended by around three months the temporary bail granted to former Delhi University Assistant Professor G.N. Saibaba, arrested for alleged CPI-Maoist links, considering his deteriorating health condition.

The dead body of a CPI-Maoist 'section commander' belonging to Company 4, identified as Pramod Kachlami alias Dalpat, has been found in the forest of Kondekal near Gatta Phulbodi under Dhanora Sub-division of Gadchiroli District. However, Dalpat was killed in an encounter with the SFs that occurred on September 3, 2015 in which one more woman Maoist cadre, Ranju Majji alias Kummi, was also killed. Dalpat had a reward of INR 800000 on him and was involved in more than 12 major encounters.

Maoists have burnt down a gram panchayat office at Durgapur under Pendhri of Gadchiroli District. The Maoists are believed to be upset over the Police gunning down one of their woman cadres and a section commander during an encounter at Kondakel forest near Phulbodi Gatta on September 3. They also called for a one-day bandh in Dhanora on September 10. The Maoists had put up a banner at Durgapur alleging that the Police murdered their section-commander in a fake encounter.

CPI-Maoist cadres have set ablaze the Gadchiroli Forest Department's range office and inspection room at Perimili on the Bhamragarh-Alapalli road.

Two CPI-Maoist cadres, identified as Sanjay Shankar Mangu (23) and Rukhmi Shantabai Halami (22), were arrested in Gadchiroli District.

Two Maoists surrendered before Gadchiroli District authorities of Maharashtra. They were identified as Sainath Katia, a 'platoon commander' and Aruna Rukhma Narote (22).

Branded a "senior Maoist leader" by the Maharashtra Police, Maruti Kurwatkar was re-arrested from the main gate of Nagpur central prison by a team of the Gadchiroli District Police when he was walking out of the jail after acquittals in three cases and getting bail in three others.

The anti-extortion cell in Mumbai has arrested a dance teacher for helping her alleged Naxalite friend extort money from a city-based businessman. The dance teacher allegedly met the businessman to collect money on behalf of a financier identified as Mohsin, who claimed to be a Naxal leader.

CPI-Maoist cadres set the RFO ablaze at Jinganoor under Sironcha Division of Gadchiroli District along with a department vehicle.

A Maharashtra Police Sub-inspector - Tejas Mohite - was injured during an encounter with the CPI-Maoist cadres in the forest of Naingunda between Kotmi and Kasansoor under Etapalli taluka of Gadchiroli District. Police said that Mohite was part of a joint operation squad of C-60 commandos.

Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court asked the Gadchiroli Police to release a CPI-Maoist accused, who was re-arrested earlier this month. Maruti Kurwatkar, branded a "senior Maoist leader" by Maharashtra Police, was re-arrested on September 12 at the main gate of the Nagpur Central Jail when he was walking out after securing acquittals in three cases and bail in three others. A Bench of Justice Bhushan Gavai and Justice Prassanna Varale orally passed strictures against the Gadchiroli Police for re-arresting Kurwatkar.

Maharashtra Government's Naxal surrender policy has yielded positive results with 502 Maoists giving up arms in the last 10 years and being rehabilitated. Of these, 482 rebels have surrendered in Gadchiroli District alone, considered as a Naxal hotbed. Maharashtra Government had launched a Naxal surrender policy on August 29, 2005 which has been extended time and again till date, official sources from ANO of Maharashtra Police said. The first rebel to surrender was Madan Anna alias Balan Ballya in 2005, they said. "Police and district authorities motivate Naxals to give up their arms. In 2013 and 2014 around 49 and 40 Naxals surrendered respectively while 25 Maoists turned themselves in till September this year," sources added. Among the ultras who have surrendered are one state zonal committee member, six divisional committee members, 16 commanders, 24 deputy commanders and 218 dalam members besides 110 Gram rakshak, 127 Sangam members, they said. According to them, while men are given skill training through ITI and taught motor vehicle driving, women are trained in sewing and selling vegetables.

A 'commander' and another 'deputy commander' of the CPI-Maoist, also a married couple, surrendered before the Gadchiroli District Police of Maharashtra. The surrenders took the tally to 29 so far this year. Maharu Mudiyami, alias Sukku, former 'commander' of Platoon 18, surrendered along with his wife Girija Jhuri, ex-deputy commander of Bhamragarh-Gatta dalam. While Mudyami carried a reward of INR 1.2 million on his head, Girija carried a reward of INR 600,000. The two had served the movement together for more than a decade.

Shankar Wadde (30), working as SPO, was shot dead outside Mallumpodur village in Bhamragarh tehsil in Gadchiroli District of Maharashtra by cadres of the CPI-Maoist who had earlier abducted him on October 6 from his home. In the past too, Wadde was abducted on two occasions by Maoists but was spared. SP, Gadchiroli, Sandip Patil said Bhamragarh LOS was likely involved in cold-blooded murder. The Maoists, after having murdered Wadde, also ensured they left behind their pamphlets owning up the murder and labelling the victim as 'Police informer'.

CPI-Maoist cadres killed a Police warden - Pindu Pungati - at Ghotpadi village in Bhamragarh tehsil of Gadchiroli District. The Maoists eliminated Pindu suspecting him to be a SPO. It is learnt that a group of Maoists dragged the victim out of his residence before firing a shot in his head from close quarters. A police warden gets an honorarium of INR 500 from the Government. The SPOs are paid INR 3,000 for their services. Pungati came on Maoists' radar after his honorarium was increased to INR 3,000 for participating in developmental works under Government schemes.

Gadchiroli Police of Maharashtra recovered a cache of arms and ammunition from a secret CPI-Maoist dump in the forest of Tonder near Damrancha under Jimulgatta Sub-Division earlier this week in South Gadchiroli. The firearms recovered included one bharmar rifle, one country made revolver, 15 cartridges of .303 rifle, 30 of SLR and 12 rounds of another local type. Material used for triggering IED blasts, Maoist literature, banners and pamphlets were also recovered.

Seven CPI-Maoist cadres, including three 'deputy commanders' who carried a collective reward of INR 3 million on their heads, surrendered in Gadchiroli District. They were identified as 'deputy commander' of 'Company four' Jaanu alias Sonu Gota (32) of Kasansur Dalam (squad), 'deputy commander' Rajesh Kokeshwar (27), 'deputy commander' Nirmala alias Sarita Note (30), Shamrao Usendi (45), Ratan Kolwe (22), Sushila Sukhnake (33) and Rammi Mahananda Potavi (21). All of the Maoists were involved in major attacks and encounters with Police in and around Gadchiroli, a Police release said.

A group of CPI-Maoist cadres allegedly killed two persons on the suspicion of being 'Police informers' at Venkatapur under Aheri tehsil in Gadchiroli District. The victims, identified as Mukesh Shankar Atram (35) and Anantrao Portek (45), were reportedly helping the Police by informing them about Naxal movement. Maoists slit their throat last night, a release from Gadchiroli Police said.

The Maharashtra Police released a list of senior CPI-Maoist leaders whose children are studying in reputed institutions, and accused them of spending "extortion money" on their families. "Senior Maoist leaders stop local tribal people in insurgency-hit areas from getting even basic education. The leaders are always afraid that if the tribals receive education, the violent Maoist movement will vanish. However, they make sure that their own children are properly educated," said a recent press statement by the Anti-Naxal Operations unit of the Maharashtra Police. The list released by the ANO also includes the son of commander of the Maoist Company, K.K. Muralidharan alias Vijayanna, who works for a software company in Kochi (Kerala).

A civilian, identified as Vinay Mistry (28), working in a grocery outlet, was killed by a group of CPI-Maoist cadres at Murumgaon under Dhanora tehsil in Gadchiroli District. The incident occurred shortly after the local weekly market was over. It's learnt that the Maoists targeted Mistry after barging into the shop owned by the victim's employer Vyankatesh Ahirwar. The Maoists were said to be upset with Ahirwar for not complying with their demands.

Eight CPI-Maoist cadres including 'commander' and 'deputy commanders carrying reward money of INR 3.2 million on their heads surrendered before Gadchiroli Police. They have been identified as 'section commander' of Company No 2 Ashok Oksha alias Deepak, 'section commander' of Company No 2, Ungi Madvi alias Manisha, 'section deputy commander' of Company No 2, Akash Madvi alias Vishnu, 'deputy commander' of Gatta armed squad Chaitu Kola alias Rushi, member of platoon No 3 Suresh Kola alias Firoz, Kaansur armed squad doctor Bali Talandi alias Sunita, LOS member Deoram Hichami alias Tirupati, and 'commander' of Jan Militia Lakhma Pallo alias Dasru.

In the last four years as many as 142 Maoists have surrendered before the Police in Gadchiroli. In 2012, some 14 Maoists surrendered, 48 Maoists left the movement in 2013, 37 Maoists in 2014 and till November this year, 45 Maoists have surrendered, informed Superintendent of Police (SP) Sandip Patil. Of the surrendered Maoists, two are 'commanders', eight 'deputy commanders', 27 cadres.

A teenage girl, who had joined the CPI-Maoist early in 2015, has surrendered before the Police in Gadchiroli District. The 14-year-old girl, a student of Class VIII at an 'Ashram Shala' in Lahiri village of Gadchiroli, had run away along with two other girls in January this year (2015). They were suspected to have joined the Maoist movement, Gadchiroli PRO Sub-Inspector, Tejaswi Patil said. Patil further said, adding, Police is now looking to rescue the other two girls.

Six CPI-Maoist cadres surrendered before the Minister of State for Home (Rural) Ram Shinde in Gadchiroli District. Those who surrendered have been identified as Sainu Hedi, 'deputy commander' of Platoon 10 carrying a reward INR One million, his wife Jano Atram alias Roshni of the same platoon, armed cadres Sandesh Mattami, Nagesh Pada and two others. In total they carried reward money of INR 2.6 million.

Out-of-turn promotions were also accorded to 34 C-60 commandos for outstanding contribution in battling Maoists.

The Minister also formally inaugurated a Police outpost at Hedri that had been set up in 2015 at a strategic location in Etapalli division.

Minister Shinde, also reviewed the law and order situation and Maoist operations in the district, assured to take up the issues of expediting the procurement of sophisticated bullet-proof jackets for troopers. The Minister promised to look into the requirement of more helicopters for Maoist operations and grievances of the dead troopers' families and their demands.

The Nagpur bench of Bombay HC cancelled the bail of Delhi University Assistant Professor G. N. Saibaba and asked him surrender before the Police. He was arrested by Maharashtra Police in May 2015 for alleged Maoist links. The court also issued a notice to writer Arundhati Roy on an intervention plea filed by advocate Bhandarkar, who had blamed Ms. Roy for "interference with the administration of justice" for writing an article in the Outlook magazine in support of Asst. Prof. Saibaba.