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Incidents involving Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) 2011


Andhra Pradesh

January 4: Police unearthed an arms dump of the cadres of the CPI-Maoist in Mailapadu mandal of Srikakulam District and recovered a large quantity of explosives. Acting on an information provided by some villagers, Police carried out searches in a forest in the mandal and recovered 40 grenades, eight landmines and materials used for making explosives, DSP Sanjay Kumar Jain said.

January 6: Two ‘deputy commanders’ of the CPI-Maoist surrendered before the SP G. Srinivas in the Kakinada area of East Godavari District. One of them, identified as Jartha Nageswara Rao alias Naresh (25), associated with the outfit since 2004, is a ‘deputy commander’ of ‘A' section of the first Central Regional Company on the Andhra-Odisha border, while Gammella Neelanna alias Sagar (22), was associated with the outfit since 2000. He is in the armed militia dalam of the outfit. "Both Naresh and Sagar joined the outfit at the age of 10 and worked in different capacities. For their surrender, both of them citied reasons, including domination of Guthikoyas in the outfit, and the methods of killing adopted by the outfit in recent times," Srinivas said.

January 13: Two CPI-Maoist ‘commanders’ surrendered before the Visakha rural Police in Vishakhapatnam District. The Maoist duo are identified as Vantala Somaraju alias Sekhar, a ‘commander’ of Korukonda area committee, and Kakuri Kanthamma alias Shanti alias Syamala, ‘deputy commander’ of a platoon in the first central regional command (CRC) company. Both Somaraju and Kanthamma decided to come over ground to help their families and wished to lead a normal life, Sources said.

January 22: A former cadre of the CPI-Maoist identified as Rachakonda Laxmaiah was arrested by the Police in Hyderabad. Laxmaiah along with his associates reportedly extorted money from INR 100, 000 to INR 300, 000 from several Government officials, contractors and businessmen in the guise of Maoists between 2003 and 2009, DCP, VB Kamalasan Reddy said. Laxmaiah, a native of Nalgonda District started participating in Maoist activities in 1988. He also distributed the CPI-ML-PWG brochures in Mahaboobnagar and Nalgonda Districts and participated in underground activities before surrendering to Police in 1997, Reddy added. On receiving a complaint about Laxmaiah's activities, a special team of Commissioner’s Task Force worked out and arrested him while he was waiting for collecting money, the DCP added.

January 27: Five cadres of the CPI-Maoist, including two women, voluntarily surrendered before the ASP Tafseer Iqbal in Koyyuru Mandal in Visakhapatnam District. The Police are yet to reveal the identity of the surrendered Maoists. The Maoists were involved in offences like setting ablaze of a bus, road blocking, as well as giving shelter to the Maoists for the past several years.

February 17: A CPI-Maoist couple - ‘commander’ Balaraju (27) and wife Sunitha (24) - fed up with the party ideology surrendered before the SP G. Srinivas, in Kakinada city of East Godavari District. The Couple, worked in Andhra-Odisha border (AOB), and carried INR 300,000 reward each on their heads. The couple, hailed from Addateegala mandal in the District, joined Maoist activities in 1997. Balaraju worked as a ‘commander’, but after marrying Sunitha, he was demoted as a member in 2003. The duo played a key role in various attacks on Police Stations and igniting landmines. They took part in the attack on Bodapudi Police Station in Malkangiri District in Odisha in 1999 and took away 40 pistols. They were part of the team which attacked Dharakonda outpost in Visakhapatnam in 2002 in which eight policemen were killed. They also blasted a vehicle which claimed the lives of 10 policemen near Kalimela Police Station in late 2000.

February 22: A group of armed CPI-Maoist cadres set ablaze a stone crusher at Ganganametta village in Chintur mandal in Khammam District, close to Chhattisgarh border. A conveyer belt and other equipment were gutted.

The Maoists set ablaze a thatched hut-cum-store room at another stone crushing plant at Chatti village in the same mandal of the District, in a bid to scare away the contractors and thwart the attempts by the Government agencies concerned to take up road works under the integrated development plan for LWE-affected areas.

March 2: The CPI-Maoist have urged the people to carry out a militant war against the private power plants and extended solidarity to the non-cooperation movement of villagers. The Maoists said in the name of development of Srikakulam District, people with power were encroaching systematically the villagers' land with active connivance of the State Government. In a press statement released at Macchkund area on the border of Munchingput in Andhra Pradesh on March 1, Andhra-Odisha Border special zonal committee (AOBSZC) ‘secretary’ Bhaskar urged the villagers to fight for their rights.

March 5: A SIB team arrested `state committee' leader identified as Dudekula Rayabose from Guntur District. Rayabose, a native of Husnabad mandal in Karimnagar District, has been in the CPI-Maoist outfit for the last two decades. According to sources, the Police received a tip-off from the SIB a few days ago about the movement of some armed Maoists in Palnadu region, considered as Maoist stronghold in the past. Even before the local Police acted on the inputs received from Hyderabad, an SIB team reached Guntur and arrested Rayabose from a house on the Amaravathi road. Soon he was shifted to Hyderabad for questioning. "We have credible information about the movement of three Maoists in which only one has a weapon in the Palnadu region. We have stepped up vigilance in the plain areas and intensified search operations in and around the forest areas," SP A Ravi Chandra, said.

March 7: An encounter took place between a group of CPI-Maoist cadres and a Special Police Team in Khammam District. The encounter, lasting about ten minutes, took place at about 1100 hrs in a forest near Mallampeta village in Chintur mandal, when the Police were on a combing operation. Nobody was injured, the Police added. "The Maoists fired upon the Police, hiding behind the bushes, from Chhattisgarh territory. However, when our personnel retaliated, the Maoists ran away in to the deep forest," a senior Police Officer said, adding that the Police have recovered a SBLR gun from the spot.

March 8: 15 CPI-Maoist cadres including a dalam member and two women surrendered before Visakha Rural SP Vineet Brijlal in Vishakhapatnam District. Those who surrendered included Seendri Eswara Rao alias Beesu of Nallabilli in Budaralla panchayat of Koyyuru mandal. All of the surrendered Maoist cadres belonged to the GK Veedhi and Koyyuru mandals and were involved in offences like famine raids, roads digging and blasting of electrical towers, besides murder of G Sanyasi Rao of Chaldigedda. No cases will be filed against the surrendered Maoists, the SP said.

March 17: DIG, Soumya Misra, Visakha range, said the CPI-Maoist activities in the AOB zone has declined due to the new strategies ad-opted by the Police in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam Districts. Talking to reporters, she said the Police have adopted twin strategies of increasing surveillance and taking preventive steps, besides implementation of several the programmes to increase the relationship with people. "We have taken up community development programmes in far-flung tribal villages and they have been giving us good results," Misra said. Even campaigning for peace at village-level was also showing good results, she added. Large scale surrender of senior Maoists, Dalam leaders and militia members in this region was an indication to the good work done by the Police personnel recently, she said. The Government has been increasing efforts to provide employment to the tribal youth to wean them away from Maoists.

Maoist leader Ganti Prasadam along with Nagireddy Pandurang alias Sagar, revolutionary writers Varavara Rao and Kalyan Rao were produced in a court at Ongole town in Prakasam District in connection with the alleged attempt on life of then Superintendent of Police, Mahesh Chandra Laddha, the Police said.

March 19: Six cadres of the CPI-Maoist surrendered before the ASP Tafseer Iqbal due to ill health and other personal reasons at Narsipatnam in Visakhapatnam District. The surrendered Maoists were identified as L Mohana Rao, L Nageswara Rao, Musiri Rambabu, Sobha Bhagavan, Musiri Sattibabu of Nallabili and Sindri Lakshmana Rao of Godumalanka in Koyyuru mandal. All the six cadres were involved in mine planting, tree cutting and even exchange of fire.

March 21: Six cadres of the CPI-Maoist were arrested in Charla mandal of Khammam District. The six cadres of Bhoomkal militia group were arrested during combing operations by the SFs in the forests of Charla. The arrested were S Tammaiah, I Krishna, V Bhadraiah, G Ramesh, K Seethaiah and M Gopi. They all hail from Battinapalli village in Charla mandal. Sources said the militia men were actively supporting Maoists in Khammam border villages and nearby Chhattisgarh. "They were involved in arranging meetings for Maoist leaders in the border and roping in tribals for Maoist activities," a Police official said.

March 27: Pallojula Parmeswara Rao alias Nandu alias Papanna (48), one of the top CPI-Maoist leaders in AOB, surrendered before Visakha Police in Visakhapatnam District. Nandu, a native of Hasanparthi in Warangal District, a former ‘secretary’ of Galikonda and Korukonda Area Committees was known for his ‘military’ ambush strategies against the Security Forces. His wife Swaroopa continues to serve the party. He joined the Radical Student Union (RSU) when he was studying polytechnic in Hyderabad and soon after he became a member of PWG. He carries a head money of INR 300, 000 on him.

March 28: Two CPI-Maoist cadres including a Divisional Committee Member (DCM) surrendered before the (SP, Rural) Vineet Brijlal in Visakhapatnam District. The duos are identified as P Paramaseswra Rao alias Sankar and B Jagga Rao. SP Vineet Brijlal told reporters that DCM member P Paramaseswra Rao alias Sankar, Papanna and Viswnadh Nandu have worked in several Dalams including Tanadava, Sabari, Kalimela, Galkonda for the last 26 years. Rao, a native of Zahirabad in Medak District joined the organisation during 1985-86 as a Dalam member in Thadava group and was later promoted as DCM of East Division and was looking after village committees and Praja Sanagams there, the SP said. He was involved in attack on Darakonda armed outpost, killing of P Sundara Rao at Narellamband village, Seetakandi encounter near Downruur and Puttakota. Some cases were also pending against him. Another surrendered B Jagga Rao joined the outfit in 2001 worked as Dalam member in Korukonda Dalam. He would be rehabilitated and the reward amount of INR 20, 000 on his head would be given to him, the SP added.

April 14: The Task Force investigators arrested a pseudo CPI-Maoist identified as A Mallesh (25), from Rathifile bus station under Punjagutta Police limits in Hyderabad. Mallesh, a resident of Ambedkar Nagar in Secunderabad, is a catering worker and working in MLM business, tried to extort money by faking his identity as Maoist leader Stephen from Dr K Srikanth, an oncologist of Yashoda Hospitals, Somajiguda. The Task Force laid a trap and arrested Mallesh.

The Police are on high alert following intelligence inputs that Maoist 'secretary' of AOBSZC Akkiraju Haragopal alias Ramakrishna alias RK might have crossed over to Odisha border from Chhattisgarh. Senior Maoist leader Tipparti Tirupathi alias Deoji alias Chetan alias Devanna (52), was in Koraput District recently to discuss the cadre preparedness and work out strategies in AOBSZC in the wake of reports that the Security Forces could resume OGH in a big way, sources said. Tirupathi, who is a 'central committee' leader, is also a member of the Central Military Commission.

April 16: A large number of surrendered cadres of the CPI-Maoist and LWE members were rehabilitated by the Visakha rural Police in Visakhapatnam District. About 58 Maoists including three 'commanders' and a 'deputy commander' were given house pattas of 60 square yards each at Rayapu Agraharam in Sabbavaram mandal. Most of them belong to the primitive tribal group (PTG) and residents of Koyyuru, Chintapalli and GK Veedhi, stronghold areas of banned outfit. They would get help under the housing scheme to construct the houses. The rehabilitation move was said to be the initiative of Vizag range DIG Soumya Mishra and SP Vineet Brijlal with a view to curb the Maoist violence in the Visakha agency and encourage surrenders. Some of the surrendered were given home guard posts.

A group of 30 cadres of the CPI-Maoist blew up the battery room of a BSNL cell phone tower at Bandirevu village in Dummugudem mandal in Khammam District. The Maoists triggered the blast on the first day of the 48-hour 'Dandakaranya bandh' called by the Maoists in protest against the recent 'Police excesses' in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada District and the alleged repression unleashed by the Security Forces in 'Dandakaranya'. Vital equipment in the battery room, including panel boards was damaged in the blast. The Maoists left behind pamphlets denouncing 'Operation Green Hunt'.

A group of Maoists dug up the upcoming road between Peddamusaleru-Kurnapalli villages on Andhra-Chhattisgarh border in the District. The new road is being constructed under the Central Government sponsored integrated development plan for the LWE affected areas.

The Maoists set ablaze a hydraulic excavator engaged in road works near Chatti village in Chintur mandal in the District.

In another incident, the Maoists felled trees on the main road between Satyanarayanapuram and Kaliveru villages in Charla mandal in the District.

April 21: The counsel for the CPI-Maoist leaders, Palleti Appa Rao has submitted a petition for the speedy trail in the Gunukurayi encounter case to the Judicial First Class Magistrate of Chintapalli J. Naga Seshaiah in Vishakhapatnam District. During the course of arguments, the prosecution said that the four leaders Kobad Gandhy, N. Ravi Sharma, Prasad Singh and Amit Bagchi along with Chenda Bhushanam, who was recently arrested by the Odisha Police, would be produced in the court on April 27.

April 28: The PLGA, the military wing of the CPI-Maoist, is training its cadres to counter aerial attacks in the event of air strikes by the Indian Air Force. Sources said that the Maoists are also planning to carry out strikes on airports. The Special IB of the anti-Naxal (LWE) agency of Andhra Pradesh Police had recently recovered key documents and sketches with details of how Maoists will defend air attacks and capture airports. The syllabus for military training of Maoist cadres is being revamped. A manual, titled Guerrilla Air Defence written by the 'central military commissioner' and senior Maoist Tipparthi Tirupati alias 'Devji' of Andhra Pradesh has been introduced into the Maoist syllabus. This syllabus includes instructions on how to kill air force commandos while they climb down during air drops from choppers. Sources in the State Police Headquarters say that the Maoists are a step ahead in combat strategies.

In order to avoid being intercepted by the Police and intelligence agencies, the Maoists cadres have now begun to communicate through HF radio waves which the SFs are finding hard to "tap". "Naxalites and their cadres have been using cellular phones and VHF sets to communicate but recently we have found that they are now communicating on HF sets," DIG, BSF Ram Avtar said. We have been using our in-built equipments to track and intercept Maoist communication on wireless for quite sometime now, said the BSF officer, who commands five battalions (5,000 personnel) of the force in Kanker District in Chhattisgarh. Top security officials deployed to undertake anti-Naxal operations in Chhattisgarh and other States say an increasing number of Maoist cadres have now begun using the HF radio waves instead of VHF waves used earlier, to escape the surveillance radars of intelligence units. The SFs are now looking to obtain and deploy advanced interception equipment which can intrude the HF waves.

Eight CPI-Maoist cadres, including four women, surrendered before the SP Kanti Rana Tata in Khammam District. The SP said that the eight armed members of various Gutti Koya tribal settlements in Chintur mandal were indulged in a series of offences at the behest of CPI-Maoist Sabari area committee in Bhadrachalam division in the past two years.

April 29: A 50-year-old CPI-Maoist leader was remanded to Police custody for a day by a local court in Karimnagar District. Pramod Mishra alias Janardhan alias Ban Bihari, a Maoist 'Central Committee' member was produced by the Karimnagar rural Police before the Magistrate court following which he was remanded to judicial custody till May 9. Later Police filed a plea seeking his custody for interrogation. Allowing the petition, the Magistrate directed the Police to take the Maoist leader into their custody and present him before the court today [April 30]. The court further directed the Police not to use third degree methods, while questioning.

May 8: The CPI-Maoist cadres set ablaze two hydraulic excavators and a tipper lorry engaged in construction of roads in the remote areas adjoining the Andhra Pradesh-Chhattisgarh border, near Peda Bandirevu village in Dummugudem mandal in the Khammam District. Sources said that a group of 30 Maoists raided a temporary gravel mixing plant abutting the Bhadrachalam-Venkatapuram main road near Peda Bandirevu village in the mandal. On noticing the Maoists, the personnel operating the machinery fled from the spot.

May 9: A CPI-Maoist leader identified as Burra Vasantha alias Shantha (48), wife of Maoists' former State committee secretary Burra Chinnaiah alias Madhav, surrendered before SP N. Shivashankar Reddy in Karimnagar District. She was disillusioned with party ideology and neglect of the cadres, she said. Shantha, a native of Thogarai village of Sultanabad mandal, was married to Burra Chinnaiah when she was 14 years old. In 1985, her husband went underground after committing some offences in his native Mangapeta village of Kalwa Srirampur mandal. She joined her husband in Nallamalla forests and again returned for delivery of his son in 1990. She returned to the party in 1995 and worked with the Maoists protection committee in Nallamalla forests. After the encounter of her husband Madhav in 2006, she sustained injuries to her head while escaping. Till 2007, the Maoists treated her and later neglected her. Irked by being neglected and health problems in the underground life, she had decided to surrender and lead normal life.

May 16: Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed the DGM of AP Rayons factory at Mangapet, deep inside the forest area in Warangal District. The victim, identified as Ramakrishna, belongs to Nellore. The Maoists also fired at the senior manager Sadanandam, who was inside the DGM chamber and injured him.

A Maoist couple, identified as Alimela Balanarsu alias Daya alias Vijji alias Vijay alias Srikanth, a 'deputy commander' of Communications team in DSZC of the outfit and Budida Surekha alias Indira alias Shyamala alias Chandini, a 'dalam' member in the committee, surrendered before SP A. Sunder Kumar Das in Sangareddy District Headquarters in Medak District. Balanarsu hails from Kondapaka in the District and joined RSU and later the Maoists while studying polytechnic at Gajwel in 1997, while Surekha hailed from Loyapalli of Manchala mandal in Ranga Reddy joined the outfit in 2003. Both of them worked in AOBSZC.

May 17: DGP K. Aravinda Rao said the State Government does not need the assistance of Army, Navy and Air Force to tackle the CPI-Maoist menace. Maintaining that the Maoist activities were under control in the State, the DGP said that the State Police along with the personnel from Odisha and Chhattisgarh were carrying out joint operations in the border areas to tackle the problem. The DGP also said that nearly 30% posts of sub-inspectors were lying vacant in all the Districts in the State and added that the recruitment drive was on to overcome the shortage.

May 18: A senior CPI-Maoist leader, Dunna Kesava Rao alias Azad (41), surrendered before DGP K. Aravinda Rao in Hyderabad. Kesava Rao hailing from fishermen community is a native of Nallabodduluru village in Mandasa mandal of Srikakulam District. He was in the outfit since the past two decades and operated with the alias names of Azad, Maheshanna, Lenju, Anand, Babulu and Nikhil. He is believed to be the deputy to Sabyasachi Panda, top most Maoist leader of Odisha and one of two masterminds behind the 2008 killing of VHP leader Laxmanananda Saraswati and four of his followers in Kandhamal. Presently, Rao is working in ORSOC of the CPI-Maoist. The Andhra Pradesh Government had announced a reward of INR one million on his head.

May 19: The CBI registered a criminal case against the Andhra Pradesh Police on the charge that Central Committee member of the CPI-Maoist Cherukuri Rajkumar alias Azad and freelance journalist Hemchandra Pandey were killed by them in cold blood on July 2, 2010. The case was registered on directions from the Supreme Court that heard petitions from social worker Swami Agnivesh and Hemchandra Pandey's wife Bineeta Pandey.

May 31: The SIB of Andhra Pradesh Police, which monitors activities of the CPI-Maoist cadres, has reportedly gathered "credible information" about the Maoists carrying their activities under the banner of the virtually-defunct Telangana Political Joint Action Committee (JAC).

June 2: The CPI-Maoist warned Pasupuleti Ramakrishna, a cousin of Tribal Welfare Minister P. Balaraju, that the people will punish him in a 'praja court' if he failed to stop corrupt practices and other activities.

CPI-Maoist Korukonda area committee 'secretary' Narendra reiterated the outfit's strong opposition to the bauxite mining proposal in the Visakha Agency and called upon tribal people to drive away officials and those supporting the formation of rehabilitation committee in the bauxite mining proposed areas, if they visited their villages.

June 6: Ten cadres of the CPI-Maoist, including two Korukonda group members, surrendered before the SP in Visakhapatnam District. The surrendered Maoists, who were present before media, said that they had faced several problems after becoming a part of the Maoist organisation. They also said that they quit it due to health problems and with an intention to lead a peaceful life further. The two Korukonda group members B. Kumari alias Mangeli and P. Sobhan were involved in various offences including exchange of fire with Police both in Orissa and in agency area of the District.

June 10: A red alert was sounded in the borders of north coastal Districts, after the CPI-Maoist attack on a camp of Chhattisgarh Armed Force in Narayanpur District in Chhattisgarh on June 9.

Some Ministers of Andhra Pradesh have taken strong exception to the casual approach in which the alerts regarding threat from Maoists for them were being sent to them by senior Police officials.

June 11: DIG of Police Visakha Range Soumya Mishra said that there is no threat as of now from the CPI-Maoist to Ministers Botcha Satyanarayana and Dharmana Prasada Rao. Referring to reports in a news channel the other day that the two Ministers were in the hit list of Maoists, Mishra said: "it's purely misconception and misinformation."

June 15: During a routine combing operation on the R-Kothagudem-Danvaipeta road in Charla mandal in Khammam District, the Special Police team recovered a landmine, with 30 kilograms of explosives and 50 meters of detonator wire, buried under the road surface by the CPI-Maoist cadres. Police suspect that the landmine was planted by the Sunita Area Committee (Maoist squad) which is active in the area, targeting Policemen who patrol on foot.

SP K.V.V. Gopala Rao claimed that there were only eight top Maoists leaders left in the Andhra Odisha Border (AOB) zone. The SP identified them as Nambala Kesava Rao, Central Committee member and in-charge of international affairs, AOB special zonal committee member Chelluri Narayana Rao, Marpu Venkataramana, Mettaru Joga Rao and dalam members Boddu Kundanalu, Erothu Sundaramma, Chelluri Indumathi and Maddu Dhanalakshmi.

June 16: Yalam Veeranna alias Ramu, a CPI-Maoist 'commander' of North Telangana Special Zone Committee (NTSZC) surrendered before the Police in Warangal District. Ramu carried a reward of INR 200, 000 cash on his head, the Police said. He had joined in the Maoists movement in 2000 and worked in different Local Guerrilla Squads (LGS) and dalam. Ramu was arrested earlier in 2001 when he was transporting essential commodities to the Maoists. He was released after seven months in jail, but he again joined the Maoists, the Police said. Ramu was reportedly involved in 17 major offences, including murders and bomb explosions. Ramu also attempted to kill one Police personnel by triggering landmine at Murmuru village in the District in 2006, the Police added.

July 7: Two CPI-Maoist cadres, identified as Kothapalli Kamalakar alias Satish, Karimnagar-Khammam-Warangal division committee member, and Kaviri Sambalaxmi alias Geeta, dalam member of Eturnagaram-Mahadevpur committee, surrendered before District Superintendent of Police Rajesh Kumar in Warangal District on July 7.

July 8: In a document recovered by the Police in Hyderabad revealed that the CPI-Maoist top leaders have moved into the forest areas to keep off the radar of the Police. This comes in the wake of a spate of arrests of the four top leaders of the outfit, including Varanasi Subramaniam, a native of Prakasam District, arrested in Bihar. Arrests, surrenders and encounter deaths of leaders have dealt a severe blow to the outfit. The CPI-Maoist Central Committee has asked all its cadres to stay in forests and stop their activity in urban areas.

July 13: Two CPI-Maoist cadres, identified as Sodi Deva alias Devaiah (26) and Madivi Devaiah (27), were arrested by the Police near Satyanarayanapuram village in Charla mandal in Khammam District. The duos were arrested by the Charla Police during a vehicle checking drive.

Pothuluri Kranti alias Bhavani, DCM of Srikakulam and Koraput division of CPI-Maoist, and Bhoosareddy Kondareddy, dalam member, were arrested in Parvathipuram division in Vizianagaram District.

July 14: Three Maoist sympathizers - Poornachandra Porja, Mahendra Kumar Khora and Amit Bahadur, all residents of Onakadelli village in Koraput District in Odisha, were arrested at Paderu in Visakhapatnam agency in Visakhapatnam District.

July 20: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist blew up a coffee go down at Teemulabanda village in G.K. Veedhi mandal in Visakhapatnam District. The Maoists planted landmines and triggered the blast. The loss was estimated to be INR 800, 000.

July 29: A member of Sabari dalam of the CPI-Maoist, identified as K Sammaiah alias Suresh (22), surrendered before Kothagudem Officer on Special Duty, A Ravi Krishna, in Bhadrachalam in Khammam District. According to Police, Suresh had worked as a militia member of the banned outfit for more than one and a half years before joining the squad. He hails from Amudalapadu village in Chintur mandal.

August 1: A Maoist, Gangaraj, was arrested by Dantewada Police during a raid on an arms manufacturing unit of Maoists in Khammam District.

August 8: The CPI-Maoist Venkatapuram area committee member and underground cadre Shanigaram Rajamani alias Navatha (27), surrendered before SP K. Venkateswar Rao in Nizamabad District. Presenting her before media persons, Rao said Rajamani, belonging to Annaram village in Machareddi mandal, decided to come out of the Maoist party on health grounds. She is suffering from respiratory problems. She carries INR 20,000 cash reward on her head and the amount would be given to her as she voluntarily gave in.

August 10: The State Government has extended the ban on the CPI-Maoist and six of its front organisations for one more year with effect from August 16. The current ban on the seven organisations expires on August 16. The banned front organisations include AIRSF, Vikasa, Sikasa, RSU, RCS and RYL.

August 12: The Andhra Pradesh High Court granted bail to Kobad Ghandy, a politburo member of the CPI-Maoist, fellow politburo member and 'Central Military Commission' member Amit Bagchi, and Central Committee member Nalla Ravi Sharma, in connection with the case related to the killing of Congress MLA Narsa Reddy, and a shoot-out case in Visakhapatnam District. However, the trio, who are facing other cases, would continue to remain in jail, the Police said.

August 14: CPI-Maoist hung banners at Kumara village in Munchingput mandal in Visakhapatnam District, asking people not to attend the Independence Day celebrations on August 15. Instead they wanted people to fight for their real independence. This followed a black flag having been hoisted near Gandhiji statue in the premises of the Mandal Development Office at Munchingput.

August 15: Unidentified persons reportedly stuck posters in the name of CPI-Maoist on the premises of a school at the remote Danvaipeta village in Charla mandal in Bhadrachalam division in Khammam District, asking the people to boycott the Independence Day celebrations. According to sources, two wall posters and a piece of black cloth were spotted on the premises of the Mandal Parishad Upper Primary School building at Danvaipeta early in the morning. The posters reportedly contained slogans against the celebration of the I-Day. However, the Independence Day celebrations were held as per schedule at the school after the removal of the material, sources said. "It is suspected that either some mischief-mongers or sympathisers of the Maoists were behind the incident," said a Police officer.

August 17: A group of armed cadres of the CPI-Maoist reportedly detained RDO of Paderu K.R.D. Prasada Rao and his staff at Balapam village in Chintapalli mandal in Visakha Agency in Visakhapatnam District and released them later. Prasada Rao, along with Deputy Tahsildar and a few other Revenue employees, went to Balapam, a village to conduct a Gram Sabha in connection with the land distribution programme where they were reportedly abducted by the cadre belonging to the Korukonda area committee.

September 3: Five CPI-Maoist cadres of the Galikonda Area Committee surrendered before the Narsipatnam OSD Kartikeya at Narsipatnam in Visakhapatnam District. The five surrendered Maoists were identified as S Balaram alias Siva, Gemmela Sannam Naidu of Cherukumpakalu, Gemmela Ramesh, Korra Praveen and Mamidi Venkata Rao of Kumkumpudi. All the five cadres were involved in the attack at the Teemulabanda coffee godown in GK Veedhi mandal in Visakha agency on July 20, the Police said.

September 17: The Centre cleared the pending proposal of Andhra Pradesh Government to include six more Districts bordering Maharashtra, Odisha and Chhattisgarh under the IAP scheme. The Districts are Karimnagar, Warangal, East Godavari, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam. Hitherto, only Adilabad and Khammam were in the IAP list.

September 19: A Greyhound trooper who was allegedly abducted by the CPI-Maoist reached his base camp on September 20 in Vishakhapatnam District.

September 25: Two CPI-Maoist cadres were killed in Police firing during a combing operation in a forested area in Cherla under Khammam District. The Police recovered two weapons, including one self-loading rifle (SLR) and some kit bags from the area. However, at least six other Maoists managed to escape into the deep forests.

Addressing a press conference in Hyderabad DGP V Dinesh Reddy informed that the Police would induct an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to be used in Maoist-affected Districts to track the Maoists. Reddy said the UAV would be helpful in tracking the Maoists even in dense forest areas. The UAV images would reach the Police in real time so that forces could be mobilised to hunt them down. "The UAV was procured at a cost of INR 300 million and will have its base station at Madurpudi in Rajahmundry District. It will be mostly used in Adilabad, Karimnagar, Warangal, Khammam, Andhra-Orissa Border (AOB) and Visakhapatnam,'' the DGP added. "To improve transport for the anti-Maoist forces, a 17-seater helicopter will be available for the next few months and the cost of its operation will be borne by the Union ministry of Home affairs," he further added.

September 28: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist shot dead Majji Madhava Rao, a ranger of the Andhra Pradesh Forest Development Corporation at Lankapaakala in GK Veedhi mandal in Vishakhapatnam District. Like all APFDC officers and men, he had also received warnings from the Maoists in the past not to take up work on coffee plantations. The Galikonda area committee of the CPI-Maoist is suspected to be behind the incident.

K.V. Rajendranath Reddy, Inspector-General of Police (North Coastal Region), on his maiden visit to the town, interacted with Sub-Divisional Police Officers and inspectors at the District Police Office and asked the Police to continue combing operations in the Maoists-affected areas though their activities, of late, have apparently slowed down.

September 29: Three landmines were reportedly detected in the Bonthavanka forest near Jillellamanda village in the Khambhamvari Palle mandal on the Chittoor-Kadapa District border. According to sources, the bombs were detected when the bomb squads were on a routine combing operation in an apparent bid to keep the track 'sterilised' as a precautionary measure.

September 30: The District bandh called by the CPI-Maoist, Venkatapuram area committee in protest against the death of two Maoists in an alleged encounter with the Police in the reserve forest area in Charla mandal of Khammam District on September 25, went off peacefully till the last reports came in. The Police have stepped up surveillance in the vicinity of cell phone towers in the remote mandals of the division as a security precaution to prevent the Maoists from damaging the towers.

October 6: CPI-Maoist observed bandh in the Visakha Agency demanding that the Police produce in a court of law, the outfit's AOBSZC member and a Central Committee member, Damodar alias Azad, who was taken into custody.

October 9: CPI-Maoist cadres organised a meeting at Korukonda in the Visakha Agency, where they wanted people to support and participate in the 'Bharat bandh' they called on October 11.

October 10: A day before the Bharat Bandh for which the CPI-Maoist had given a call demanding that the Police produce one of its leaders Damodar alias Azad in court, armed members of the outfit felled trees on major roads in the Visakha Agency and partially damaged a Forest Department check-post.

October 18: A bag was found in mysterious circumstances at the house of P. Krishna Murty, former chairman of the agriculture market committee for Palakonda, at Kambara village of Veeraghattam mandal in Srikakulam District. Police recovered the bag and found a set of detonators, a bundle of CPI-Maoist literature and a letter demanding INR 500,000 from Murty. Police officials suspect that the bag might belong to the Maoists of the Nagavali dalam of the Andhra-Orissa border. Palakonda DSP, B.D.V. Sagar said that the bag and the material included a 12-page letter.

October 21: The fear of the CPI-Maoist cadres has reportedly gripped residents and officials working in Agency areas of the AOB in the three north coastal Districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam of north Andhra Pradesh. Sources from the Visakha Agency revealed that all Maoist activities are currently being held under the leadership of Ganesh alias Birsu alias Prasad, secretary for the east division of the Maoists committee in the AOB. The DIG, Visakha Range, Soumya Mishra, announced that there were plans to induct pilot less aircraft in the Agency as part of the department's steps to check the Maoists in the AOB.

October 24: A three-member action team of the CPI-Maoist killed a former home-guard, Korra Balaraju in front of his house at Antharla, just two kilometers from the mandal (administrative unit) headquarters, Chintapalli in Vishakhapatnam District. The victim was a Maoist cadre earlier and was reportedly on the hit-list of Maoists since he became a home-guard.

October 26: An exchange of fire took place between the Maoists and Police in the Tadvai forest area in Warangal District when a Police party combing the forest area spotted a group of Maoists. Nearly 10 Maoists including the Khammam-Karimnagar-Warangal District Committee member, Bade Chokka Rao alias Damodar, however, managed to escape.

October 31: Police arrested six Maoists belonging to Korukonda area committee in Vishakhapatnam District.

November 1: A BSNL cell-tower was partially damaged at Lammasingi in the Vishakhapatnam District after Maoists set it ablaze.

November 7: A group of Maoists set ablaze earth-moving equipment being used by a contractor for laying a road near Valajangi village under Rangabayalu Panchayat in Munchingput mandal of Vishakhapatnam District. According to sources, the Maoists had warned the contractor not to lay the road in the village.

November 10: A senior leader of the CPI-Maoist, Sriramula Srinivas, was released from Cherlapally jail following his acquittal in the case relating to the killing of TDP Minister A. Madhava Reddy. He was arrested by the Odisha Police five years ago.

November 13: According to Police, the CPI-Maoist is making arrangements to recruit new cadres into the outfit. The recruitments are being supervised by Khammam, Karimnagar and Warangal (KKW) committee member Bade Chokkarao alias Damodar in the three Districts. However, Police say that they are counter-checking Maoist activities and tracking the movements of those shuttling between Warangal and Chhattisgarh.

Six more Districts in Andhra Pradesh may be declared 'Maoist-affected' in addition to the existing two, according to Jairam Ramesh, the Union Minister for Rural Development. The minister was speaking at a public meeting at Hukumpeta near Paderu in the agency (tribal) area of Visakhapatnam District.

November 22: Overlooking the practice of posting probationary DSP's to Greyhounds and giving them crucial training in anti-Maoist combat techniques before posting them to different Districts, some DSP's were given postings in different Districts the State.

November 24: Mandamarri Police in Adilabad District arrested two CPI-Maoist sympathisers for questioning about their links with the CPI-Maoist. Mancherla Srinivas, an area- secretary of Singareni Udyogula Sangham and Devi Mallesh have been active as sympathisers of Maoists, the Police said.

November 26: 14 cadres of the CPI-Maoist surrendered before the Police at Narsipatnam town in Vishakhapatnam District. According to the Police, the Maoists surrendered due to ill-health.

November 27: The bodies of two villagers, S. Bojjibabu Talayari of Marriwada Gram Panchayat and D. Sivaprakasha Koti of Koyyuru, allegedly killed by cadres of the CPI-Maoist, were found in Koyyuru mandal of Vishakhapatnam District. The Maoist's Galikonda area committee, which had reportedly warned them for their "anti-people and anti-Girijan" activities, is believed to have in a forest in G.K. Veedhi mandal. Both were suspected as Police informers.

November 29: The Karimnagar District Police were on a high alert as the CPI-Maoist began their protest week against the killing of top Maoist leader, Mallojula Koteshwara Rao alias Kishanji in an encounter in West Bengal. Apart from observing the protest week from November 29 to December 5, the Maoists have called for Telangana bandh on December 4 and 5.

November 30: The Atmakur sub-division court in Kurnool District quashed the two cases against CPI-Maoist leader, N Panduranga Reddy alias Sagar, due to lack of witnesses. The judge delivered the verdict in the cases filed eight years ago.

Protesting against the killing of top CPI-Maoist leader Mallojula Koteshwara Rao alias Kishanji, the Maoist cadres abducted two persons - supervisor Ramulu and a tractor driver - working in Deva Dula project pipeline works in Karimnagar District and set ablaze three vehicles engaged in the project.

Eluru Range DIG, G Surya Prakasa Rao has said that the Police department had received information about Maoists taking shelter in Rampachodavaram in East Godavari, and Polavaram, Jeelugumilli, Tanuku and Eluru in West Godavari District. One special Police party in Polavaram and three companies of CRPF and six companies of the Andhra Pradesh Police are participating in the operations, he said.

December 1: There was no response to the two-day bandh call given by Maoists in Telangana region in protest against the alleged encounter of top Maoist leader, Mallojula Koteshwara Rao alias Kishenji in West Bengal. There was no bandh in Kishanji's native, Peddapalli town and also other revenue division headquarters such as Jagtial, Sircilla, Huzurabad and other mandal headquarters.

December 3: The Maoists felled trees on the Venkatapuram-Charla State highway in Venkatapuram mandal in Khammam District to enforce the two-day nationwide bandh called by the CPI -Maoist Central Committee.

December 4: There was no impact of Bharat bandh call given by the CPI-Maoist leadership in protest against the killing of Maoist leader, Mallojula Koteshwara Rao alias Kishanji. The shutdown call evoked little public response on the first day of the two-day bandh call in Karimnagar District in general and Peddapalli town in particular.

December 5: A group of Maoists assaulted five Girijans at Terapalli village in Chintapalli mandal for allegedly brewing illicit liquor and Korukonda area committee secretary Narendra addressed a public meeting held there later.

December 6: The Charla Police on December 6 recovered a 5 kilogram land-mine allegedly planted by the CPI-Maoist cadres on Gogubaka-Rallagudem road in Khammam District and defused it.

CPI-Maoist cadres conducted a public meeting at Busiputtu in Muchingput in Visakhapatnam District as part of the PLGA weekly celebrations and decorated the weekly market with red flags and posters. Police believe east division head Ganesh, 'commanders' of the area committees of Galikonda and Korukonda, Krishna and Narender could be camping in the border areas and planning a major strike in retaliation to the killing of Maoist leader Mallojula Koteswara Rao alias Kishanji.

Police agencies and paramilitary forces in the country, including in Andhra Pradesh, are facing a serious canine crunch. Sniffer dogs used in anti-terror and anti-Maoist operations to detect explosives are in great demand, but there are just not enough of them trained and ready to be deployed.

December 7: Nearly 25 Maoist cadres were present at meeting in Terapalli, which is about five kilometres from Annavaram Police Station in Visakhapatnam District. Maoists warned the Governments in the State and the Centre against going ahead with bauxite mining in the Agency area and said they would fight to protect the interests of the tribals.

The Andhra Pradesh DGP, V Dinesh Reddy, asserted that anti-CPI-Maoist operations in the State would be intensified. He further intimated that an UAV fitted with powerful surveillance cameras would be pressed into service from February 2012 to track the movement of Maoists. The DGP had earlier on September 25, 2011 also informed about the induction of a UAV which was then to be operated from Madurpudi air-base in Rajahmundry District.

The Adilabad District Police sounded a high alert after the ITDA deputy director, Sarveshwar Reddy received complaints from tribal women of Vankathan village in Uttnoor mandal in the District that Police officers belonging to combing operations teams were allegedly harassing them to provide information about the Maoists.

December 9: A 40-member Greyhounds team of Andhra Pradesh Police had a narrow escape when CPI-Maoist cadres triggered a landmine explosion at Lakkavarapupet in the GK Veedhi mandal of Visakhapatnam District. The members of the Galikonda Area Committee of the CPI-Maoist is suspected to be behind the blast that took place at around 10.30 am when the SF personnel were coming from the Pedavalasa area, sources said. No one was injured in the incident. This is the first time after a gap of a year that the Maoists triggered a landmine in the District.

Two Maoists exchanged fire with Police before making an escape in Vizianagaram District. The duo was sighted at the Kooneru railway station at Komarada mandal of the District by a special Police party. Upon seeing the Police they opened fire to which the latter retaliated by firing three rounds. However, the Maoists escaped in the darkness, the Police said.

A communication of the CMC of the CPI-Maoist mentioned that people are rallying for the formation of separate Telangana and the situation has to be used for building a revolutionary movement. Documents pertaining to the 11 years after the formation of the PLGA and the CMC revealed that the Maoists are planning to convert PLGA into a PLA and guerrilla warfare into mobile warfare to make Dandakaranya and Bihar-Jharkhand liberated areas. The Maoists also vowed to avenge the killing of politburo member Kishanji, and said that he had worked hard to build up guerrilla squads in Dandakaranya.

December 11: After learning that the AOB zonal committee of the CPI-Maoist held a meeting near the border of Visakhapatnam District recently and the Maoists were planning for a major attack, the SFs launched a massive hunt for the Maoists.

December 14: The Greyhounds intensified combing operations in Agency areas as part of their efforts to flush out Maoists. The SFs have been combing the East Godavari and Visakha border for the last couple of days following intelligence inputs about Maoist conducting meetings that were supposed to be attended by top leaders of their zonal committee. A huge number of the Greyhounds personnel were dispatched to Parvathipuram in Vizianagaram from where they were airlifted to Maoist stronghold areas of Bandugaon and Narayanpatna in Odisha's Koraput District which shares a border with Vizianagaram.

It was learnt that large recruitment drives have taken place in Koraput and Malkangiri during PLGA week. Two persons were reportedly selected for the squads from each panchayat. The recruitment was conducted under the supervision of former east division secretary Jagadeesh alias Lenju.

December 15: A report on the law and order situation in the State that was tabled at the collectors' conference said the CPI-Maoist is making desperate attempts to regain a foothold in the State and is making inroads in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, East Godavari, Khammam, Warangal, Karimnagar and Adilabad Districts. All these Districts border the neighbouring states of Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra.

December 16: Around 60 CPI-Maoist cadres, 20 of them armed, allegedly set ablaze a tipper and a proclainer (earthmover) near Alubaka in the Bhadrachalam Agency area of Khammam District. Sources said that the Maoists set ablaze the vehicles to obstruct the road works taken up under the LWE Affected Districts Development Scheme.

Contrary to the view of Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh that large projects in Andhra Pradesh were causing a spurt in Naxalism, CM N Kiran Kumar Reddy said such projects were ''development opportunities''. Reddy spoke in favour of controversial projects like the Posco, Vedanta, bauxite mining in the Araku valley of Andhra Pradesh and thermal power station at Sompeta in Srikakulam District - issues allegedly being used by the Maoists to spread their wings - saying, "these are not issues...they are development opportunities."

A recent investigation conducted by the Hyderabad Police into circulation of FICN has revealed that those associated with the Naxal movement have been raising funds by circulating fake currency in Andhra Pradesh. Hyderabad in particular has become the nerve centre of the fake currency racket.

December 21: Six CPI-Maoist cadres, identified as Killo Prasad (32), Korra Srikath (27), Vallanti Tellamdora (28), Korra Eswara Rao (20), Korra Nageswara Rao (20) and Matsyalingam (40), were arrested by the Paderu Police in Visakhapatnam District. All the arrested Maoists hailed from Thulam village of Bongaram panchayat in Pedabayalu mandal allegedly had links with the outfit and were actively involved in setting ablaze a bus at Bangarumetta and a road roller at Pallabanda, besides being actively involved in arranging meetings and other works for the Maoist party, Paderu OSD Damodhar said.

December 23: A group of 10 CPI-Maoist cadres shot dead Killo Hari (26), a villager of Nimmalagudem, an interior village in Koyyuru mandal bordering G.K. Veedhi mandal in Visakhapatnam District on December 23. The Maoists took away the victim from his house and shot him dead on the village outskirts. They left a pamphlet near the body and pasted posters on a night halt APSRTC bus which said that the Police were responsible for the deaths of Police informers. Galikonda area committee secretary Krishna is suspected to be behind the killing. Hari was a Maoist sympathiser.

A district-level committee in Visakhapatnam recommended to the Central Government to provide financial aid of INR 300,000 each to the families of 12 persons killed by the CPI-Maoist cadres in the District since July 22, 2009. Thirteen cases were identified in the District, all from the Visakha Agency and since one of the victims was from Odisha, 12 were found to be eligible for the relief.

December 24: The Maoists destroyed an APFDC quarter at Cherlapalli in Chintapalli mandal. Maoists, during a visit on December 5, had warned the fieldsmen to give up jobs in the coffee plantations of the Forest Department and leave the village. The latest attack on the quarters followed the warning. Korukonda area committee secretary Narendra reportedly led the attack.

December 25: The Maoists felled trees at the nearby Jerrela in G.K. Veedhi mandal where heavy bauxite deposits are located, bringing traffic to a halt with a view not to allow people going to the weekly market. They left pamphlets opposing bauxite mining.

After killing a civilian on December 23 and felling trees and destroying the quarters of Andhra Pradesh Forest Development Corporation (APFDC) in the agency area of Visakhapatnam District on December 24, cadres of the communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) disrupted the shandy at Jerrela where tribals buy essential commodities for their daily needs. They destroyed country made liquor (arrack) and black jaggery, and warned people against producing or selling arrack in Chintapalli and GK Veedhi mandals.

December 30: Six CPI-Maoist cadres surrendered before Police in Visakhapatnam District. According to the Police, the six Maoists were native of Thulam village in Pedabayalu mandal of the District. They were helping the outfit by supplying food, medicines and other essentials, the Police said.


Bihar

January 9: The STF arrested four top cadres of the CPI-Maoist from near Dihuri canal in Aurangabad District. They were identified as Vikas Kumar ‘sub-zonal commander’, Ram Narayan Yadav, Karpuri Thakur and Ravi Ranjan Paswan, DSP, Daudnagar, Mazhar Hussain said.

January 13: A self-styled ‘area commander’ of the CPI-Maoist was arrested from Nefti village under Mufassil Police Station in Aurangabad District. Acting on a tip-off, the Police raided a place and arrested Jaggu Paswan, wanted in connection with several criminal cases. A carbine and several rounds of ammunition were seized from him, Police said.

January 18: A CRPF constable was killed and two other troopers were injured as the cadres of the CPI-Maoist triggered three powerful land mine blasts in quick succession to thwart an anti-Naxal (LWE) operation in Gaya District. The blasts were triggered near Barha village under the Dumaria Police Station, close to the Jharkhand border. Acting on a tip-off about assemblage of Maoists in the area, a joint team of personnel from CoBRA, CRPF, STF and DP were on the way to the village on foot when the three explosions took place. The SFs later fired at the extremists, Gaya SSP Amit Lodha said and added intermittent firing between the SFs and the Maoists continued for several hours. According to the SSP, 46 persons have been taken into custody for their suspected involvement in Maoist activities in the area.

January 19: A self-proclaimed 'sub-zonal area commander' of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Srinath Ram was arrested in Rohtas District of Bihar. DGP Neelmani told reporters in Patna that Srinath, a resident of Gamharia village under Karakat Police Station of the District was arrested while he was waiting to receive the 'levy' amount. Police recovered a country made pistol from his possession.

January 21: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar visited the Maoist-affected Sikaria village in Jehanabad District, to inaugurate a hospital and assured further developments in the region. "Five years back, nothing was there in Sikaria village. Today, lots of developments have taken place here. Likewise, it is essential for rapid development in the villages that new road be made, more schools built, hospitals run properly, and good education is given to the students," the CM said. He further said proper employment would see the Maoism decrease in the State. "If these kinds of developmental works will take place as per the instructions of your government then it would be quite fruitful, as people will be satisfied. If the people will be satisfied then no one will be rebellious and nobody will think about taking weapons in hand," Kumar added.

January 23: Five cadres of the CPI-Maoist surrendered before the SSP, M.R. Naik, in Darbhanga District. The five cadres identified as Balmod Kumar Mishra, Rambabu Bhagat, Ghoran Das, Pavitra Das and Gopi Thakur were wanted in over a dozen cases of landmine blast, attack on Police and loot of crops, Police said. They surrendered three rifles, two revolvers and 23 rounds of ammunition, Police added.

January 25: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist raided Kathor village in Munger District and set ablaze a thatched house, ASP S. B. Lande said, adding no one was injured in the incident. They later hoisted a black flag at the school under Dharhara Police Station, Lande added.

January 26: The Maoists, who had called for a boycott of Republic Day celebrations, hoisted black flags in several Districts in the State. The Maoists unfurled black flags on school premises in a number of villages of Sitamarhi, Gaya, Lakhisarai and Muzaffarpur Districts, officials said. The Maoists hoisted black flags at schools at Morsand under Runnisyedpur block, at Lulha Dumra and Chandauli panchayats under Belsand block in Sitamarhi district and Jinaura, Bhalui, Manpur, Bataspur and Basuachak villages under Chanan Police Station area in Lakhisarai District, sources said. The Maoists also unfurled black flags at more than two dozen places under Sherghati block in Gaya District in protest against the Republic Day celebrations, the sources added.

Armed cadres of the CPI-Maoist shot dead a village sarpanch, identified as Shivji Singh alias Shivchandra Prasad Singh, at Jihuli panchayat under Patahi block in East Champaran District. A group of six Maoists raided the farm house of Shivji Singh in the night and sprayed bullets killing him on the spot. The Maoists also assaulted Singh’s nephew and others who were present on the spot, sources said.

February 1: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist raided Jagdishpur-Kodari village in Jamui District and injured three villagers in the wee hours. Over 200 armed cadres attacked the village and fired several rounds to intimidate the villagers. Three villagers were assaulted and injured by the Maoists, who observed 'Sahadat Diwas' at the village to protest the killing of eight of their cadres in an encounter with the Police and locals on January 30, the sources said.

February 2: Cadres of the CPI-Maoist blew up the house of one Bharat Singh of Prithwipur village under the Panapur Police Station area of Saran District. They also set ablaze a vehicle parked outside the house.

February 3: The Lakhisarai Police arrested a Maoist, identified as Prithwiraj Hembrom alias Pouluce Hembrom, from Bhalua village under Chandramandi Police Station of Jamui District. The arrested Maoist had also contested the 2010 assembly election from Chakai assembly constituency on a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) ticket. According to Police sources, the arrested Maoist had been involved in over half a dozen cases. In order to create terror among villagers and Police informers in Giridih (Jharkhand), Hembrom had chopped off the ears and nose of many villagers in 2005.

Another Maoist, identified as K K Mishra alias Ramashish Mishra alias Ashish Mahato, was arrested in Lakhisarai District.

February 4: Five top ranking CPI-Maoist cadres, including a 'self-styled commander', was arrested at Chapra in Saran District. "The Police team acting on a tip off carried out a search operation in Ambedkar lodge in which one of the Maoists, named Nakul who has a reward of INR 50,000 on him along with four other Maoists were arrested," said SP A.K. Satyrthi. The Police also recovered a huge amount of cash from the arrested Maoists. "INR 74.4 billion cash along with Maoist literature, compass, high frequency wireless sets, cassettes, CDs (compact disc) and several other things have been recovered," added SP Satyrthi.

February 7: Cadres of the CPI-Maoist attacked Sohail Police picket under the Kothi Police Station of Gaya District. However, the Maoists retreated when Police opened retaliatory firing. Gaya SSP Amit Lodha said about 200 heavily armed Maoists attacked the Police picket around midnight. No casualty has been reported from either side, the SSP said.

Maoist spokesperson Paramjeet said the Maoist outfit would renew its attacks on school buildings and blow them up over alleged conversion of several schools in Dumaria-Imamganj area into Police camps. The Maoist spokesperson alleged that schools at Barha village under Dumaria Police Station and Khajuria village under the Banke Bazar Police Station have been converted into Police camps. The Magra School of Dumaria Police Station was already under Police occupation, the Maoist spokesperson alleged. The Maoist spokesperson conceded that his organisation was running several parallel schools in the District to educate the deprived children. He refused to divulge details saying that such disclosures will be counter-productive and amount to open invitation to the Security Police to clamp down on such schools, Paramjeet said.

February 10: Cadres of the CPI-Maoist set ablaze six vehicles, including five trucks and a pick-up van, in two separate incidents at Rewaghat under Saraiya Police Station and at Tengrari village under Shivaipatti Police Station in Muzaffarpur District in protest against the recent arrest of Nakul, a Maoist 'zonal commander'.

Armed cadres of the CPI-Maoist blew up railway tracks between Kurhni and Turkey Railway stations in Muzaffarpur District. "Over 50 Maoist cadres triggered a mini cylinder blast badly damaging the tracks at a place between Kurhni and Turkey railway stations late last night," ADG (Rail) S. K. Bhardwaj said. RK Agarwal, Divisional Railway manager, Sonepur, said, the Maoists had called a 24-hour bandh on February 10, in Tirhut area in North Bihar in protest against the recent arrest of Nakul, a Maoist 'zonal commander' in Saran District on February 4.

The Maoists set ablaze a private bus in Muzaffarpur District. There were no casualties, Police said.

February 13: A top ranking cadre of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Bibhishan Pandit, resident of Gogladih village under the Kharagpur police station in Munger District, suspected to be involved in the landmine blast that killed the then Munger SP K C Surendra Babu, his bodyguard and four other Policemen in January, 2005, was arrested by the Police from Teliakumri panchayat locality under Belhar Police Station in Banka District. SP Shyam Kumar said, Pandit was a top ranking Maoist and had been involved in several Maoist-related incidents in the past including loot of arms from Kajra railway station. SP Kumar, while referring to the confession made by Pandit, said the Maoists were in the process of setting up a 1,000-strong squad to carry out the attack on Belhar Police Station. Police recovered 50kilograms of explosives, country-made weapons, live cartridges besides Maoist pamphlets and literature from Pandit.

February 14: Armed cadres of the CPI-Maoist blew up a State-run school building at Barhara in Chakkarbandha forest in Gaya District. Over 50 armed Maoists surrounded the school, commanded the villagers watching a cultural programme to leave the premises and detonated dynamites and blew up the building. The building was earlier being used as a CRPF camp, the Police said.

Hundreds of students of a school in Muzaffarpur District have appealed to the Maoists and the District administration to help them resume classes which were stopped after the Maoists assaulted two teachers earlier this month. Tengrari High School was closed since February 2, after the Maoists badly assaulted the teachers on the evening of February 1, for opposing and removing the black flag the Maoists hoisted on Republic Day [January 26, 2011]. School children, with placards in their hands during a march on February 14, appealed to the Maoists to help them reopen the school.

February 17: Two CPI-Maoist cadres, identified as Gopal Sharma alias Punitji and Deepak Sharma alias Deepu, were arrested by the Masaurhi Police in Patna District. Both of them are native of Moka village under Masaurhi subdivision in Patna District. Police recovered two pistols besides two cartridges from their possession.

Over 30 heavily armed CPI-Maoist cadres raided a construction site of Gammon India, and set ablaze one dumper truck and one road construction machine belonging to the company in Raghunathpur village under the Gurua Police Station of Gaya District. Gammon India is engaged in execution of the INR 3.75 billion mega road project linking the remote Dumaria Block headquarters with the State capital through a four-lane road. The Maoists did not cause any harm to the workers present at the construction site. Before leaving the place, the extremists raised slogans in favour of the Maoist ideology and organisation.

The Maoist made an unsuccessful attempt to blow up the middle school building at Tilaiya Khurd village under the Barachatti Police Station area of the District. The Maoists planted an IED to blow up the school building, but the device did not explode.

February 18: The CPI-Maoist cadres blew up the house of Pushpapal, a former village sarpanch in Saran District. Over 50 armed Maoist cadres raided the house of Pushpapal at Chitwan village and triggered the blast, SP A.K. Satyarthy said. Nobody was present inside the house at the time. The Police recovered three landmines from near the house, Satyarthy added.

February 26: Six cadres of the CPI-Maoist were reportedly killed by SFs during an encounter that lasted over five hours in Majidih village in Banka District. According to Police sources, around 12 heavily armed Maoists, who were holed up in a house in the village, opened fire on STF troopers after being asked to surrender. The SFs retaliated by killing six of the Maoists, DGP Neelmani said. Neelmani said two self-loading rifles, another rifle, four magazines and 210 rounds of ammunition were recovered from the hideout. Three of the Maoists were in Police uniform, he said. From the six bodies, the Police identified one of the Maoists as Golu, a self-styled ‘area commander’ in the Banka region, wanted in several cases of violence. He was considered a terror in eastern Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal, the Police said. The other five are yet to be identified by the Police. However, the Police arrested one Maoist cadre identified as Deven Tudu, a resident of Kaithavaran, which is close to Majidih village, about 250km from Patna.

Suspected cadres of the PLGA, military wing of the CPI-Maoist, attacked two construction companies after the firms failed to pay levy demanded by the PLGA cadres in Bhabua city of Kaimur District. The 60-member squad of PLGA cadres attacked the construction of a siphon-bridge of Durgawati Reservoir Project on Hundari hills, assaulted workers and forced them to stop work until the contractor paid them 10 percent of the cost of the work. Later, in the night the cadres again attacked the camp of the road construction company and set ablaze machines worth INR 5 million, Police said. "The Maoists had planted landmines on the approach roads making the operation difficult," Shahabad DIG Sushil Khopde said.

February 28: Three CPI-Maoist cadres were arrested by the Police from Patnbigha village in Islampur Police Station of Nalanda District on. Acting on a tip-off, the Police raided a place and arrested the three Maoists, including a ‘zonal commander’ of the Maoists Arvind alias Verma, besides top cadre Srikant Paswan alias Naga Paswan and Narsingh Yadav. Two rifles and one SLR looted from the Police and 16 live cartridges and INR 7200 in cash were also recovered from them, sources said. They were wanted in connection with several criminal cases.

March 1: Armed cadres of the CPI-Maoist blew up two control rooms of telecom towers in Jamui District. About 50 armed Maoists came to the control rooms of private telecom operators and blew up the facilities detonating dynamites at Mahugayen village under Sonu Police Station area, SP R N Singh said. The Maoists triggered the blast in apparent protest against the killing of six Maoists during an encounter with the Police at Majidih village under Katoria Police Station area in neighbouring Banka District on February 26.

Armed Maoists abducted two members of a family and later released them near Aureya village in Rohtas District, the Police said. Twenty Maoists abducted Dinesh Yadav and his nephew Omprakash, when they were returning to the village after offering prayers at a nearby temple and took them away to an unknown place, SP P. Manu Maharaj said. Hours later, the abductors released the two men after the Police conducted raids in several places to trace them, the SP added.

The CPI-Maoist cadres set ablaze three jeeps of the irrigation department and damaged a school building and an inspection bungalow of the water resources department at Garhi village under the Khaira Police Station in Jamui District. According to locals, a group of over 100 Maoists, including women, raided the village around 8.30pm and asked shopkeepers to down their shutters and leave the place immediately. Soon thereafter, the Maoists demolished the Government and school buildings with the help of four JCB machines of a private road construction firm and bulldozed the buildings, they added. Jamui SP Ramnarayan Singh said the Maoists set ablaze the three vehicles of the water resources department, which were parked near the office at Garhi village. The SP said the Maoists might have driven away a few JCB machines from project work sites in the area to use them for damaging the buildings.

March 4: Over 50 armed cadres of the CPI-Maoist attacked a private construction firm engaged in construction of a bridge over river Gandak and set ablaze a tractor, two JCB machines, a pump set besides a generator at Raghuvi village under Shivaipatti Police Station in Muzaffarpur District. They also destroyed 1,000 bags of cement of the construction firm, for the failure of the construction company to pay a levy of INR 10 million to the Maoists. The Maoists assaulted labourers engaged in the construction work and even poured kerosene on the construction supervisor Pankaj Kumar. An employee of the construction firm identified as Uday Kumar said that the Maoists collected the mobile phones and locked the employees in one room before setting ablaze the machines and vehicles.

March 5: Three persons were arrested and about 2,000 kilograms of explosives and detonators were recovered by the Aurangabad Police from two vans in an area falling under Madanpur block in Aurangabad District. DGP Neelmani said the explosives were on way to Rafiganj from Allahabad. He suspected that the consignment could have been diverted for illegal mining in Jharkhand or meant to be supplied to Maoists. The DIG (Magadha range) has been asked to probe the matter, he added. Neelmani said three occupants of the vans have been arrested in this connection as they were not carrying any valid document.

The Police arrested a Maoist ‘commander’, wanted in several incidents of crime, from Goralia hilly area in Rohtas District. Acting on a tip-off, the Police raided the area and arrested Brishketu Kumar alias Bishnu Singh, SP Manu Maharaj said. A rifle looted earlier from the Police and 12 rounds of ammunition were recovered from him. Bishnu Singh is one of the founder members of the Maoists outfit in South Bihar and is active in the area since early 80s. He was mastermind of almost all major incidents in the region, the Police said.

March 7: A cadre of the CPI-Maoist was killed in an encounter between the SFs and Maoists at Panchrukhiya hill in Aurangabad District. The encounter, began on the intervening night of March 6 – 7, and lasted about six hours. The SFs neutralised a Maoist training camp atop the hill located in Madanpur Block of the District. The dead Maoist has been identified as one Karu Singh Bhokta of Petawar village under the Banke Bazar Police Station under Lutwa Panchayat of the District. The SFs recovered some explosive materials, two petrol bombs, battery chargers, Maoist literatures, cooked food and utensils from the site. The SFs also neutralised two bunkers at the site, ADG (HQs) Rajvardhan Sharma said. Six persons, including five women of Lutwa panchayat, were detained by the Police in this connection. The women were later released after interrogation while one was arrested, Sharma said.

March 8: The STF of Bihar Police arrested two top ranking cadres of the CPI-Maoist in Khagaria District. Acting on a tip-off, the STF personnel carried out raids and arrested Yogi Singh, ‘secretary’ of the North Bihar Central Zone, carrying cash reward of INR 25,000 on his head, and O P Yadav, armed squad member of the Maoist outfit, DGP Neelmani said.

March 10: Five top ranking cadres of the CPI-Maoist were arrested by STF of Bihar Police from near an over bridge at Sultanganj in Bhagalpur District. Acting on a tip-off, the Police raided a place near the over bridge and arrested the CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Sriram Yadav, Vijay Yadav, Vishal Kumar, Chandan Kumar and Vilas Kumar, wanted in connection with several operations carried out by the outfit in the State. The STF personnel recovered two pistols, one motorcycle, one jeep, 25 rounds of SLR ammunition, besides some live cartridges from them, sources added.

Acting on the inputs provided by the arrested five Maoists in course of interrogation, the STF team raided Dulhar village in neighbouring Munger District and neutralised a mini-gun factory. The STF arrested three more persons, including Subodh Rai, from the spot, the sources said. The identity of the other two is yet to be ascertained. Two pistols, several semi-finished weapons, gun - manufacturing equipment and a machine were also recovered during the operation.

The Police destroyed standing crop of opium spread over 10-acre land in Langurahi hillock under Madanpur Police Station in Aurangabad District. Acting on a tip off that the cadres of the CPI-Maoist had planted opium in forest land to raise funds, the Police visited the place and destroyed the crop, the SP Vivek Kumar said.

March 13: Six cadres of the CPI-Maoist were killed and one SAP personnel identified as Shiv Sharan Yadav was injured in an encounter between the SFs and the Maoists in Dharmaha village under the Kalyanpur Police Station in East Champaran District. East Champaran SP Ganesh Kumar led the joint forces comprising BMP, SAP, CRPF and STF troopers following information that a group of over 100 Maoists had assembled at the village, sources said. The over 12-hour-long encounter ended at 4:00 am on Monday [March 14], DGP Neelmani said. The bodies of all the six CPI-Maoist have been recovered while eight other CPI-Maoists, including three women, have been arrested. SFs have also recovered 14 weapons comprising five SLRs, eight Police rifles and one .315 rifle, besides explosives and ammunition from the spot, the DGP added.

Two CPI-Maoists were arrested after a three-hour gunfight in another encounter with another group of CPI-Maoist in Kakudih locality in Kaimur hills in Rohtas District. SP Manu Maharaj said the SFs and Maoists were locked in a fierce encounter during which over 500 rounds of ammunition were fired from both sides. The arrested duos were identified as Ranjeet Ram and Baleshwar Thakur, the SP said.

March 14: Cadres of the CPI-Maoist blew up two mobile towers and burnt a generator room near Dumaria Police Station in Gaya District. Over 50 CPI-Maoist triggered dynamite blasts to blow up the towers of BSNL and a private telecom operator near the Police Station late last night. They also burnt the generator room of a private telecom firm there, the Police said.

Following the arrest of two CPI-Maoists on March 13, Police arrested 10 more CPI-Maoist, including three women, and recovered a cache of arms and ammunition during the encounter in Rohtas District. DGP Neelmani said: "We arrested 10 ultras, including three women, and seized 14 weapons, including five SLRs and eight police rifles." The Police, he added, also recovered a huge amount of explosives and detonators.

March 15: The Maoists had called for a 24-hour bandh in Magadh division, comprising of Gaya, Aurangabad, Nawada, Jehanabad and Arwal Districts, ADG (Headquarters) Rajvardhan Sharma said.

March 16: Over 50 armed cadres of the CPI-Maoist blew up a State-run school building using dynamite at Khajurahi village under Banke Bazar Police Station in Gaya District.

The Maoists set ablaze a control room of the BSNL tower at Lakhua village under Imamganj Police Station in the District, the Police said. Raids were conducted in the area to arrest the Maoists involved in the act.

March 17: The CPI-Maoist cadres assaulted and broke the limbs of Janardan Rai, a close political aide of State Legislative Assembly Speaker Udai Narain Chaudhary, at Bodhibigha village under the Dumaria Police Station area of Gaya District. According to the Police, at least 100 armed Maoist cadres descended on the village and encircled the house of Rai, a JD (U) activist. Accusing him of being a Police informer, the Maoists looted the victim's movable belongings, including household utensils, a jeep and a motorcycle, and then demolished the house with the help of explosives. The jeep and motorcycle were subsequently set ablaze about six kilometers away, near the Bihar-Jharkhand border.

The Police recovered three landmines, apparently laid by the Maoists on the route to Bodhibigha to ambush Police Parties in the District. The Maoists also left behind a handwritten note, asking the Government to stop Operation Green Hunt. The note said the Bodhibigha incident is just a "jhanki", or trailer, and more such operations would be used in Dumaria, Imamganj and Banke Bazar areas.

The Maoists set ablaze the solar system installed at the house of Anuj Singh, Member of the Bihar Legislative Council under the Dumaria Police Station area in the District.

March 20: Two persons were killed by the cadres of the CPI-Maoist at Kanaudha village in Gaya District. According to SP Ratnamati Sanjeev, three persons were abducted by the Maoists from the village in the night of March 19. Bullet-ridden bodies of two persons, including the son of the village Panchayat head and some Maoist literature were found near a drain, the SP said. The Police are yet to trace the whereabouts of the third person.

March 21: A wanted CPI-Maoist cadre, carrying a reward of INR 25, 000 on his head, was arrested from Ibrahimpur village in Bhojpur District. Acting on a tip off, the Police raided a hideout in the village and held Shatrughan Ram, SP, M R Naik, said. Ram was wanted in connection with the murder of the then Tarari Police Station SHO Raj Kishore Sah in 2005, besides six other criminal cases, he said.

March 22: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist set ablaze Airtel mobile tower at Marpa village in East Champaran District. According to Police more than two dozen Maoist cadre in number, stormed Puri Tola in the village and set ablaze the mobile tower. The Maoists raised slogans to justify their ideology while escaping. The service of Airtel was disrupted in the District as the controlling unit at the tower stopped functioning after the mobile tower was set ablaze, the Police added.

March 24: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist blew up a State-run school building in Tetrain village under Deo Police Station area in Aurangabad District. Over 50 Maoist cadres surrounded the school building in the village and triggered the dynamite blast and blew up the school building. Three rooms of the school building were destroyed in the blast, the Police said.

A powerful bomb planted by the Maoists was recovered by the Police from the adjoining Yadupur village in the District. Police raided the area to locate the Maoists involved in the act.

March 25: Three top Maoist cadres, including their self-styled ‘area commander’ Arvind Paswan were arrested at Bhikhanpura in Muzaffarpur District. "Acting on a tip-off, the Police raided a house in the village and the three Maoist cadres - Arvind Paswan, Vinay Paswan and Ajay Paswan - who were wanted in connection with several cases were arrested," SSP Rajesh Kumar said.

The cadres of the CPI-Maoist blew up a school building at Tilaiya Khurd in Gaya District. Over 70 Maoist cadres surrounded the school and triggered a dynamite blast to blow up the State-run school building last night, the Police said. Three school rooms were badly damaged in the blast, the Police said adding the Maoists later set ablaze a house in the village before fleeing into the nearby forests.

Bindeshwari Yadav alias Bindi Yadav, a member of the RJD party has been arrested and around 4000 rounds of ammunition and cash has been seized from his possession in the District. A team of Police officers intercepted the vehicle of Yadav and during the search, ammunition for sophisticated weapons like SLRs and AK-47 were seized which were to be supplied to the Maoists to be used during the village council elections to be held in the State.

March 28: The CPI-Maoist cadres set ablaze a dumper of Bihar State Bridge Corporation and assaulted labourers at Piprahighat in Sitamarhi District. Over 25 Maoist cadres surrounded the place where work was in progress, sprayed kerosene and petrol to set ablaze the dumper, sources said. They also beat up the labourers when they resisted, they said adding a combing operation has been launched to arrest the Maoists.

March 31: One villager was killed and four top CPI-Maoist cadres were arrested following an encounter between the Maoists and SFs that lasted for six hours in the forest at Hasikol in Jamui District. The encounter occurred when a group of Maoists saw SF personnel carrying out combing operation in the area, DGP Neelmani said. The villager, identified as Dudha Murmu, was killed after he was hit by a stray bullet during the encounter while he was collecting fruits from the forest, SP Rajnarayan Singh said. The SFs arrested four top Maoists after the encounter Singh said, adding one mobile phone, two explosives, four battery, two solar charging sets, besides one stabiliser, plastic table and a medical kit were seized from the spot.

The SFs, comprising the DAP, CRPF, STF and SAP, used rocket launchers and explosive launchers over the 100 rounds of firing on the Maoists, Singh added.

April 2: The Police arrested Subhash Mandal, reported to be an ‘area commander’ of the CPI-Maoist from Gaya District. A Police rifle was recovered from the possession of Mandal. "We are verifying records to ascertain from where the recovered Police rifle was looted," SSP Vinay Kumar said. Maoists have looted at least 500 Police rifles and other weapons during their operations in Bihar and neighbouring Jharkhand in recent years, the SSP added.

April 4: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist assaulted and injured five labourers and set ablaze two road construction machines of a private firm at Kanaudha village in Aurangabad District. Over 25 Maoist cadres raided the village and assaulted the labourers and injured them. The Maoists, demanded money from the owner of the company failing to which they set ablaze its machines used in construction of road under PMGSY besides some furniture at the work site, the Police said.

A recent intelligence report sent to the MHA has warned that nearly half-a-dozen Maoists lodged in prison may pose a serious threat to the security of Motihari District jail. The East Champaran SP, Ganesh Kumar, has issued stern directions to all SHOs and asked them to keep a strict vigil in the areas. According to another intelligence report, the Maoists are contemplating the abduction of bureaucrats. The depot of Indian Oil Corporation at Raxaul town and other Government offices in the East Champaran District are also on the target of the Maoists, the report said. DIG, Champaran Range, Pankaj Darar said the Police are keeping a constant watch on the situation.

April 11: Acting on a tip off, the Police arrested three CPI-Maoist cadres with arms and ammunition from Mehdi Hasan chowk area in Muzaffarpur District. SSP Rajesh Kumar said the Maoists were wanted in several violent activities in the District and adjoining areas. The identity of the arrested Maoist cadres is yet to be ascertained.

April 12: Two suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist were arrested from Sikandarpur in Muzaffarpur District. The arrested duo identified as Anil Sahni and Shekhar Kumar were preparing to commit a major crime in the town. They were arrested by the Police along with their arms and ammunitions. A motorcycle and some looted articles were recovered from Sahni.

April 13: Three CPI-Maoist cadres were arrested from Kathkur and Kachanur villages in Aurangabad District. Acting on a tip-off, the Police raided the villages and arrested the Maoists wanted in connection with several criminal offences, official sources said. The Police recovered two regular rifles, six country-made rifles, two country-made pistols, 95 rounds of ammunition, ten uniforms and as many bags from their possession. Several posters pasted by the Maoists asking the people to boycott the upcoming Panchayat elections in the area were also recovered, sources said.

All 682 candidates for various posts in the ensuing Panchayat polls in nine Panchayats under Dumaria block in Gaya District withdrew their nomination apparently giving in to the Maoists call for poll boycott, official sources said. The candidates have withdrawn their nomination on their own free will, Dumaria's BDO Anil Kumar said. He, however, could not explain the reason behind withdrawal of all candidates from the forthcoming Panchayat polls in the Panchayats under Dumaria block. The candidates, who withdrew their candidature, included 218 for the post of panchs, 248 for ward members, 133 for Panchayat Samiti and 83 for mukhias. While all 682 candidates in fray for various posts in nine Panchayats have withdrawn their candidature, no candidate had filed nomination for any post in two Panchayats - Sahchar and Mangia - under Dumaria block. It may be mentioned that the Maoists, has given a boycott call of the Panchayat polls and has put up banners and posters at several places to remind the people and prospective candidates about its diktats. Incidentally, the area is represented in the State Assembly by Speaker Uday Narayan Choudhury.

April 14: The STF troopers arrested a top leader identified as Baidyanath Tiwari alias Tula Nand Tiwari alias Binod Mahto alias Sameerji alias Bhagwan Dada, of the CPI-Maoist from Samukhiya Mor village in Banka District. Acting on a tip off, the Police team headed by the STF DSP Neeraj Kumar raided a hide out and arrested Tiwari, the ADG (HQs) Rajvardhan Sharma said. Tiwari is secretary of the BJSAC of the Maoists. The Police recovered a pistol, six live ammunition, 11 mobile phones, a laptop and a large quantity of Naxal (LWE) literature from the possession of Tiwari who was wanted in at least 25 cases of Maoist operations in Bihar, the ADG said. Tiwari, a native of Jokityabad village in Giridih District of Jharkhand, was wanted in connection with at least 25 Naxalite activities, including the murder case of the then Munger SP KC Suresh Babu in 2005 and abduction of four cops from Kajra forests in Lakhisarai District of Bihar in 2010, ADG Sharma added.

April 16: About 1,000 candidates withdrew their nominations and many other aspirants did not file nomination papers at all in two southern Districts in the Panchayat polls to be held on April 20, for the fear of CPI-Maoist, after the Maoists threatened of dire consequences if they participated in the democratic exercise. "People certainly want to stay alive instead of getting killed for trying to contest in an election. The security situation here does not give us confidence," said Mahendra Prasad of Sherghati in Gaya District. Prasad withdrew his name a few days after filing his nomination papers for the election of mukhia. "We had assured the people that full security measures would be in place to ensure peaceful polls. We had asked the candidates to complain against any pressure from anywhere. But nobody complained so far," said Gaya SSP Vinay Kumar. DGP Neelmani, however, said Security Forces were ready to ensure peaceful and fair polls.

April 17: The Maoists had given a 24 hour bandh call from Sunday midnight [April 17], to protest the arrest of their 'commander' of BJSAC, Sameer Das, in Banka District on April 14.

April 18: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed a villager in Dayaldih village in Jamui District. According to the Police, the Maoist cadres arrived at Dayaldih village on bikes and set ablaze to the BSNL and Reliance towers after ordering some villagers, who were sleeping nearby, to leave. When a villager identified as Bhim Thakur raised an alarm the Maoist cadres shot him dead and also fired a few shots to scare away the people.

Five passenger vehicles were set ablaze by armed Maoist cadres at Nari village under Kharagpur Police Station area in Munger District. The Maoist cadres asked passengers to get out of the passenger vehicles and beat up the drivers before setting ablaze to the vehicles, the Police said.

Day to day life came to a near halt under three blocks under Sherghati subdivision in Gaya District namely Dumaria, Imamganj and Banke Bazar due to the bandh call, given by the local committee of the Maoists to register its protest against recent Police operations in the area and the arrest of its cadres.

The Maoist cadres have issued black warrants to eliminate the SPOs, for the casualties, arrests and continuous counter-attacks from the Police in the eastern Districts of the State. The spokesperson of the Jamui-Bhagalpur committee of the Maoists, Avinash, has blamed the Police for forming groups of such informers, in a similar pattern as was followed in Jharkhand. "These SPOs mostly comprise villagers who have been threatened or allured by the Police to work against us and pass key information. There have been many incidents in the recent past where the Police have either killed or arrested our men on the basis of information they received," he said. Intelligence reports have also confirmed the black warrants against SPOs. The Maoists recently issued death warrants against Bhola Koda, Ashok Koda, Jogeshwar Koda and Bidesh Sah, natives of Munger District, for working as Police informers. "The documents said these SPOs had a major role to play in the killing of Avdesh Yadav, a Maoist sympathiser, and in the gang rape of Bindu Kumari, another Maoist sympathiser. The Naxalites (LWE) have taken a decision to eliminate such agents and have issued death warrants," the Police said. The documents recovered at Majidih also revealed that the Maoists were annoyed with the former SP, Munger, M. Sunil Naik for appointing a large number of SPOs in the District that led to the death of a number of their cadres.

April 19: A CRPF trooper was killed in a gun battle with CPI-Maoist cadres at Navigaarh in Pananwa Tand area in Gaya District. While a Maoist was also arrested, the Police recovered three guns from the encounter site.

Nearly 2,500 Police officials and constables have left for different places under Maoist-affected Madhuban (Bhagalpur District), Phenhara (Champaran District) and Tetariya (Nawada District) blocks, which will go for panchayat polls on today.

April 20: One woman and a Police officer were killed by the CPI-Maoist cadres who were opposing the Panchayat elections in Ramsinghdih Panchayat under Laxmipur block in Jamui District. Three Maoists, who had queued up before a booth at Ramsinghdih Panchayat, opened fire killing ASI Rajendra Jha on the incident site, the Police said.

The Maoists later demanded a matchbox from a woman, identified as Aisa Khatoon, to set ablaze a tractor near the booth. As the woman refused, they fired at her, killing her and injuring two other villagers, the sources said.

A bomb explosion was reported from the house of a candidate for village sarpanch in the District, but it was not known if there was any casualty, they said. The 10-phase polls will end on May 28.

April 26: The Police recovered a landmine from Lalganj-Purnaini road near Purnaini in Vaishali District, DGP Neelmani said. Based on information provided by a villager, the Policemen searched a place and found the powerful landmine suspected to be planted by CPI-Maoist cadres, Neelmani said. "We have decided to give a reward of INR 25,000 to the villager," he added.

April 27: Two persons have been arrested following a case lodged by the Railway Police for issuing threat call that the CPI-Maoist will blow up the Narkatiaganj Railway Station in West Champaran District, Muzaffarpur SRP, Sheo Kumar Jha, said. The arrestees have been identified as Nagendra Sharma of Bansipur village under Sahodara Police Station, who confessed that he had called the DRM, Samastipur, S P Trivedi, and Awanish Kumar, who had sold SIM in the name of one, Champa Devi, which was used by the caller to issue threat to the DRM. SRP Jha made an inquiry at Narkatiaganj and directed the Police to remain alert. He also directed the Raxaul Railway Police to tighten security measures in wake of the threat call.

April 29: The Police recovered explosives in 50 bags from an abandoned CPI-Maoist bunker during an anti-Maoist operation at Madhubani village under Banke Bazar Police Station in Gaya District. SP, Ratnamani Sanjeev said acting on a tip-off, a team went to the area and spotted the bunker and recovered fifty bags of ammonium nitrate, a multi-use chemical used for making IED as well as fertilizers to boost agricultural output besides wires used in making bombs. The Maoists had escaped by the time the Police team reached.

Three persons were abducted by the CPI-Maoist cadres from Barcha village in Rohtas District. “A group of Maoists raided the village last night and picked (abducted) three people, identified as Amit Chaube, Phulendra Chaube and Suresh Sah,” SP Manu Maharaj said.

The Bihar Police during the course of the day-long operation jointly executed by a STF team headed by SP Sudhir Kumar and the Katihar Police headed by DSP Gopal Paswan arrested seven Maoist cadres, including three top Central Committee members of the CPI-Maoists from a village in Ganesh Tola under Barsoi Police Station in Katihar District. The three arrested members are Varanasi Subramanyam alias Shrikant alias Sukant alias Vimal (58), Secretary of the North Regional Bureau wanted by the Andhra Pradesh Police for the last five years carrying a reward of INR 1.2 million on his head. Subramanyam, son of a lawyer and an M. Com and LLB from Andhra University is a native of Prakasam District, has been in the CPI-Maoist central committee since 2001 and helmed the outfit's international cell ever since the arrest of Kobad Gandhi, a central committee member, from Andhra in 2009. The second is Pulendu Shekhar Mukherjee alias Jhantu Mukherjee alias Saheb Da alias Joyda (69), Secretary of the Eastern Regional Bureau which includes Chhattisgarh and had been appointed in-charge of the Urban Sub-Committee (USCOM), spearheading party activities in Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai. Mukherjee belongs to Jadavpur Police Station area of West Bengal. He is wanted in at least ten cases in Chhattisgarh while the third is Vijay Kumar Arya alias Jaspalji alias Amar (50), all-India in-charge of the Sub-Committee of Mass Organisation (SUCOMO) and was wanted in 12 cases in Bihar. Arya has done MA from Bihar's Magadh University and hails from Karma village in Gaya District. He carried a reward of INR 300, 000 cash on his head. IG (operations) K S Diwedi said the trio were the masterminds behind several Maoist operations, including the ones in which Chhattisgarh`s Rajnandgaon District SP was killed in 2009.

The others were identified by the Police as Abhimanyu alias Umesh Yadav alias Rajendra (47), ‘secretary’ of the UU (Uttar Bihar-Uttar Pradesh) regional bureau who hails from Kursela in Katihar, Nokhe Lal Chowdhary alias Suraj alias Bakraf (30), a North Bihar Eastern Zonal Committee (NBEZC) member and Shyamji Rishi, another member of NBEZC. Suraj and Shyamji are natives of Katihar's Barsoi village. The Police also arrested Aniruddh Ravidas (47), an active supporter who had given shelter to the six Maoist cadres at his home in Barsoi. A large haul of Maoist literature, books, pamphlets, posters, three pen drives, three mobile phones and other materials have been seized from their possession, the IG (Operations) Diwedi said.

May 2: Five Policemen, including the SHO of Rajepur Police Station in East Champaran District, were injured when CPI-Maoist cadres triggered a landmine blast under the jeep they were travelling in near Dera Chowk at Ramnagar village under the Shivaipatti Police Station in Muzaffarpur District. Muzaffarpur SSP Rajesh Kumar said the incident occurred when a Police party from East Champaran District entered the village in the District to arrest some absconding criminals.

May 3: Three persons, earlier abducted by the CPI-Maoist cadres, were released at Yadunath village in Rohtas District. The three persons identified as Amit Chaube, Phulendra Chaube and Suresh Sah were abducted from Barcha village in the District on April 29.

May 5: A CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Arjun Yadav, was arrested at Islampur in Nalanda District. Acting on a tip-off, the Police raided a hideout at from Kudumpur village and arrested Yadav, SP Jitendra Rana said. Yadav was wanted by the Police for his involvement in over a dozen cases of Maoist activities in the District, he added.

May 12: Two CPI-Maoist cadres, including a self-styled zonal 'commander', were arrested from Piro in Bhojpur District. Bhojpur SP M R Nayak said that acting on secret information, a Police team carried out a raid and arrested the 'zonal commander', identified as Vinay alias Pankaj, and his associate Manish. He said that Pankaj carried a cash reward of INR 25,000 on his head. Nayak further said that the Police recovered five weapons including one 303 Police rifle, one rifle, two country-made pistols, one 9mm pistol, 72 rounds of ammunition, five detonators, one bindaulia and Maoist literature on the basis of information provided by the arrested Maoists.

May 13: The CPI-Maoist cadres abducted four farmers from Pararya village in Chutiya Police Station area of Rohtas District. Over 40 armed Maoists raided the village and abducted four farmers to an unknown place at gunpoint, the Police said. The farmers were identified as Vibhishan Tiwari, Jaidurak Tiwari, Dhiraj Tiwari and Rajgrih Tiwari.

May 15: As the voting for the ninth phase of Bihar Panchayat polls began two polling officials were killed and two critically injured in a landmine blast triggered by the cadres of the CPI-Maoist in Jamui District. "Maoists targeted a Police vehicle in which polling officials were going to conduct polls in a village in Jamui," ADGP Rajwardhan Sharma said.

One person was killed and another injured in a landmine blast triggered by Maoists near Chhurchuriya village in the District, DGP Neelmani said. "The poll personnel were going to Chhurchuriya booth on a tractor when the landmine planted by Maoists went off," Neelmani said. The driver of the tractor Arun Mandal died on the spot and one poll personnel who is a local teacher was seriously injured in the blast, the DGP added.

May 16: The CPI-Maoist cadres, who abducted four farmers from Pararya village in Chutiya Police Station area of Rohtas District on May 13, released three of them unharmed. The Maoists freed Jaidurak Tiwari, Dhiraj Tiwari and Rajgrih Tiwari following fervent appeal from the villagers, sources said. Another farmer Vibhishan Tiwari was still in captivity.

May 17: The CPI-Maoist cadres released all seven poll personnel, who were abducted by the Maoists after triggering a landmine blast in Jamui District on May 15, at Janamsthan in Nawada District. "All the seven poll personnel held captive by the Maoists have been released as a result of massive joint operation conducted by DAP, BMP, SAP, STF, CRPF," DGP Neelmani said in Patna. The polling team members who were released were Naresh Kumar Sao, Nageshwar Mehta, Dheeraj Kumar, Manoj Kumar, Kapildeo Kumar, Shyam Deo Verma and Om Prakash Thakur. Later, the freed poll personnel reported the matter to Jamui District Magistrate Manish Kumar.

May 22: Cadres of the CPI-Maoist released two abducted railway employees at an isolated place away from the Chakant railway halt in Gaya District. Lever man Suresh Ram and Dhanraj Paswan were abducted in the night of May 21.

May 25: Suspected CPI-Maoist cadres set ablaze an excavator near Rauna village in Belaganj area in Gaya District. "The incident occurred near a river in Rauna village. The labourers and the machine owners had gone to eat food and when they returned they saw the machines were set on fire," said Tej Narayan Singh, Belaganj Police Station in-charge. Maoists had left a red cloth and a note claiming responsibility for the act.

A Maoist 'zonal commander' was arrested from a hideout in the District. Acting on a tip off, a Police team raided the hide out and arrested the Maoist. The arrested Maoist is wanted in connection with 24 cases in the District.

May 26: Cadres the CPI-Maoist assaulted the employees and set ablaze road construction equipment, besides tractors of a private firm at Dihuri village in Aurangabad District, Police sources said. Over 24 heavily-armed Maoists surrounded the office of the private firm, MBL Construction Company, held the supervisor and drivers captive, beat them up before setting ablaze the road construction equipment, the sources said. The Maoist attack was believed to have taken place as the firm did not heed the demand for extortion, the sources said.

May 31: Over 50 heavily armed CPI-Maoist cadres descended on Parchha village under Chutia Police Station in Rohtas District and of blew up a school building. Three of the seven rooms of the school were damaged in the incident. However, there was no report of any casualty. After triggering the blast, the Maoists shouted slogans against the Government machinery for using the school buildings and other installations for housing the Security Forces for anti-Maoist operations. Earlier, the Maoists had attempted to blow up the school building on May 17 on the eve of the 10th phase of panchayat polls. They, however, failed in their mission, as the explosive used for blowing up the building was sub-standard.

June 1: A Government school teacher, Ajit Mishra, was arrested for helping the CPI-Maoist who blew up his school at Parchha village in Rohtas District on May 31, Police said. Police suspected that Mishra, who was posted at that school, was involved in supplying explosives, remote control devices, fuse wires and other equipment to the Maoists that was used in several explosions in Rohtas and neighbouring Districts. Rohtas SP Manu Maharaj said: "Police have been interrogating Mishra after he was arrested from his native village Tiara Kala following continuous electronic surveillance and intelligence inputs."

Maoists organised a 'Kangaroo Court' and brutally beat up two people with heavy wooden stick on the pretext of them being Police informers in the outskirts of Gaya District. According to the Maoists, both the suspects - Shyam Sundar Yadav and Vinod Yadav - were constantly leaking vital information about Maoists' whereabouts and activities to the local Police. Pleading for mercy, one of the victims Shyam Sundar Yadav promised not to leak information ever again in life and is willing to abide by the rules and regulations set by Maoists.

June 2: CPI-Maoist cadres who had abducted two villagers, killed one of them and released the other at Pararia village in Rohtas District, SP Manu Maharaj said. Heavily-armed Maoists had abducted two persons Shatrughan Mahato and Shashi Mahato from Pararia village a day earlier, the SP said. The Maoists killed Shatrughan Mahato and threw his body on road near the village. The Maoists, however, released Shashi who returned home safe. The Maoists were suspecting that the two were passing information to the Police about their activities in the area, sources said.

June 3: Armed CPI-Maoist cadres abducted two persons in Gaya District. Over 50 Maoists raided Silwalia village and Bela village under Dumaria Police Station and abducted Shohail Ansari, Nehal Ansari and Nagvir Yadav for working as "Police informers", City SP Ratnamani Sanjeev said. Ansari was, however, released later on. The Maoists also beat up some villagers when they resisted, he said adding that raids are being carried out in the area to ensure safe release of the villagers and arrest the Maoists, he said.

June 8: Armed CPI-Maoist cadres raided Jagdishpur village in Aurangabad District and killed one villager, identified as Bihari Yadav, Police said. An old enmity was stated to be the reason behind the killing, they said.

June 9: Two wanted Maoists were arrested from Dhangai in Gaya District, City SP, Ratna Sanjeev, said.

June 11: The Police raided the house of one Rajesh Kumar at Chauher village in Arwal District and seized three rifles, one pistol, 18 rounds of ammunition, ASP Manoj Kumar said. Ganja pouches and liquor bottles were also found in the possession of Kumar, who could have links with the CPI-Maoist, the ASP said.

Youngsters in Maoist affected areas of Bihar are being imparted training in martial arts and handling of arms to counter the Maoists. The CRPF, in cooperation with the State Police and a voluntary forum named Jan Jagran Sansthan, has taken this initiative of training these youngsters in Gaya region of the State.

June 12: The Bihar Police arrested Jagdish Yadav, a top politburo member of the CPI-Maoist, from a clinic at Guraru Bazaar in Gaya District. Yadav was being treated in the clinic. Known by aliases such as Jagdish Master, Akhileshji and Prabhatji, 70-year-old Yadav was a member of the Maoist Central Committee between 1996 and 2004 and had been a politburo member since then, overseeing major operations in Bihar, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh. Police sources said Yadav was a big fish in the Maoist pecking order, ranking just below Ganapathy and Kishan. An absconder since 1972, he was wanted for a landlord's murder in Aurangabad after a class war ensued between two factions. Carrying a reward of INR 300,000 on his head, Yadav has been involved in several major Naxal operations in Odisha, Bihar and Chhattisgarh. The sources said he was wanted in two cases by the Andhra Pradesh Police, eight by the Jharkhand Police and 14 cases by the Bihar Police, including the Lakhisarai Police hostage case of 2010. A resident of Gamhariya village in Aurangabad District, Yadav played a key role in overseeing the merger of the PWG and the MCC in October 2004.

June 13: Armed cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed a villager, identified as Javed Ansari (32), whom they had abducted from Nimatand village on June 11, and dumped the body at Salaiya village in Jamui District. The Police recovered a leaflet near the body in which Maoists claimed responsibility of the killing for his reported involvement in seeking extortion in the name of Maoists.

June 15: Ramswaroop Yadav alias Vikas Yadav, 'sub-zonal commander' of the Maoists, was arrested by the Police from Pachokhar village under Dev block in Aurangabad District. Yadav was involved in five dozen cases of Maoist violence in the State, including an incident of bomb explosion where eight persons (seven of them children) were killed at Pachokhar village under Deo Police Station during State Assembly election 2010. He was also involved in an attack on Central Reserve Police Force base camp at Madanpur, besides being involved in bomb blasts at different schools in the District. Yadav was carrying a reward of INR 50,000 on his head. Five kilograms of explosive, a country-made pistol and several Maoists literature were recovered from him, DIG, Magadh Range Umesh Kumar said.

June 16: A group of 70 CPI-Maoist cadres blew up four cell towers in Imamganj area, one in Banke Bazaar and one in the Dobhi block in Gaya District.

Police sources said that the Maoists destroyed a cell tower in Aurangabad District in the State.

Around 100 armed Maoists attacked the Kothi Police Station in Gaya District where one company each of the Bihar Military Police, District Armed Police and Special Auxiliary Force were stationed, City SP Ratnamani Sanjeev said.

A contingent of 40/50 armed Maoists attacked the Nadaul railway station and set ablaze a part of the railway station in Jehanabad District on the Patna-Gaya route, disrupting rail traffic, during a bandh (general shutdown) called in Bihar, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, protesting against the arrest of politburo member Jagdish Yadav alias Jagdish Master, who was arrested in Gaya District in the night of June 12. In addition, the Maoists took hostage Rajesh Kumar, the station master for a few hours, ransacked the station, and set ablaze the booking counter and the panel room, and damaged the documents stored in there.

June 18: Police raided a place in Khagaria District and arrested CPI-Maoist 'zonal commander' Rameshwar Yadav, alias Subhash alias Lamboo, and his associate Sandeep Yadav. One pistol, 24 rounds of ammunition, two mobile phones besides INR 26,000 in cash and two diaries with Maoist writing were seized from them.

The State Police headquarters has approved the proposal of setting up 152 base trans-receiver stations (BTSs) in Maoist-affected Districts of the State for better communication network during operations against the Maoists. BSNL would carry out the task.

June 21: Three Maoists were arrested from Sojanna village in Nalanda District. ASP Saurabh Kumar Sah said Police raided the village and arrested Sobhi Yadav, Karu Yadav and Mani Yadav. The three arrestees were reportedly involved in several operations carried out by the Maoists in Bihar and Jharkhand, the ASP said.

June 22: Six heavily armed motorcycle-borne cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed Arvind Kumar, a former sarpanch of the Sewra panchayat in Magra village under Dumaria Police Station in Gaya District. Angry villagers upset over the alleged failure of the Central Reserve Police Force to make instant response and follow the motorcycle-borne Maoists, set ablaze a pay loader engaged in road construction work in the area. The villagers also forced shopkeepers to down their shutters and blocked traffic on the State Highway linking the Dumaria block with the District Headquarters.

The CPI-Maoist cadres set ablaze mixing plant of a construction company at Chorwa village in East Champaran District. Tyres of truck, dumper, AC wiring and other equipment worth INR one million were destroyed in the incident. The Maoists left some literature citing the company's failure to pay 'levy' to the local (CPI-Maoist) as the reason behind the arson, Superintendent of Police Ganesh Kumar said.

June 25: A 'zonal commander' of the CPI-Maoist was arrested from Pathra village under Dhibra Police Station in Aurangabad District. "Acting on a tip-off, Police captured Sudarshan Bhuiyan alias Guptaji, said to be zonal commander of Shahabad range of ultra left outfit," SP VR Singh said. He was wanted in connection with several operations carried out by Maoists in Bihar and Jharkhand.

June 29: A young researcher studying the Naxal movement in Bihar has gone missing with her guide from the Jamui District, Police officials said. Juhi Kumari, who hails from Bangalore, went missing along with her aide Pradip Dass, when on the way to the Jamui Railway Station to catch a train for Bangalore, said Jamui SP Raj Narain Singh.

July 1: Nearly 50 armed CPI-Maoist cadres stormed Bangalwa Kareli village in Munger District and killed six people and abducted seven others, Police said. "Five people were killed on the spot while one sustained serious injuries and died later in a hospital," an unnamed Police officer said.

A Maoist 'zonal commander' and another LWE were killed in a factional clash at Baulia village under Chutia Police Station area in Rohtas District. DGP Neelmani said the LWE factions clashed in which Birendra Rana (Yadav), Maoist 'zonal commander', Sone-Vidhyachal zone, and another LWE Vishnu Yadav were killed. The dead bodies were recovered by the Police, he said, adding one AK-56 rifle was seized from them.

STF personnel arrested Avinash, the spokesperson of east Bihar and north Jharkhand zonal committee of CPI-Maoist, from a place near Belhar-Jamui border in Banka District, reports Telegraph. Though senior CRPF officers have confirmed the arrest, Police is silent over it.

July 2: CPI-Maoist cadres released all the 11 villagers they had abducted from Kareli village in Munger District where they had shot dead six people. A villager had earlier managed to flee. The abducted were released in Basraha-Chormara forest near the village. According to the released villagers, a message sent on cell phone from Kareli by a Maoist cadre in the midnight to 'commander' Arvind Yadav that the villagers were preparing to attack them at their hideouts, compelled the Maoists to free them. The abducted were told to go back to their homes with a warning not to help Police in any operation against them. Earlier, in the afternoon a BSF chopper was pressed into service on the retreat route of Maoists.

July 3: Maoists attacked the house of Dwarika Yadav of Chando village in Barachatti area of Gaya District and set it ablaze. However, Dwarika Yadav and his family managed to escape.

July 4: An 'area commander' of the CPI-Maoist of Shahabad range, Surendra Rai alias Ajayji, was killed by his colleagues under Maoist-infested Nabinagar block in Aurangabad District. Rai was looking after the organization's work in Rohtas District. Pamphlets found beside his body dubbed him as a cheater not loyal to the organization and was accused of working for its rival faction, TPC.

Two suspected Maoists were arrested in Munger District for allegedly killing six villagers on July 3. ADGP Rajwardhan Sharma said the Maoists are being interrogated to collect more information on the massacre.

July 5: One villager was abducted by the CPI-Maoist cadres from Ghoskotand village under Khaira Police limits in Jamui District. Around 30-40 Maoists raided the village and abducted Basudev Rai, a sympathiser of Munna Shah Squad of the outfit. Sources added that wife of Rai was elected as the panch member in the Panchayat election.

Three Maoists were arrested from the Bangalwa forest area in Munger District, in connection with the killing of six villagers on July 3, of Kereili village in the District. Acting on a tip-off, Police raided the forest and arrested Rakesh Yadav, Rajaram, Yadav and Dhiro Yadav.

July 7: CPI-Maoist conducted a Kangaroo Court in Manjhar village in Gaya District, and punished Ranjit Malakar, a school teacher for reportedly molesting a girl student of 7th standard of his school. The victim's mother told media persons that she was satisfied with the punishment ruled out to the tainted teacher and that she will prefer going to the Maoists for help than approaching to the Police.

July 8: The State Government decided to recruit more SPOs to counter CPI-Maoist attacks in all its 31 Naxal-affected Districts. DGP Neelmani has said that the State Police will recruit 6,900 SPOs on a monthly remuneration of INR 4, 000 from villages where Maoists enjoy support or have been identified as Maoist stronghold. At present there are about 1,200 SPOs on Police rolls in Maoist-hit Districts like Jamui, Banka and Munger. "All SPOs are working under the direct supervision of the District Superintendent of Police, but there is no plan to arm them," DGP Neelmani said. "We're trying to provide training to the Special Police Officers so that they can do their work without being identified", a high-ranking Police Officer at the Police headquarters said. "The killing of police informers by the Maoists is proof that the Reds are feeling the heat of the revamped police intelligence network. It is a positive sign, but we're also mulling ways to protect lives of SPOs", Neelmani added. "The police managed to put the heat on Kabir Koda and Maoist leader of Kosi region with the help of regular feedback from the SPO there," officials pointed out.

July 9: Nine Maoist cadres, including two self-styled 'area commanders', surrendered before the Police in Sasaram in Rohtas District. SP Manu Maharaj said the Maoists, including 'area commanders' Anil Kushwaha and Nirmal Singh Kharwar, gave themselves up before DIG (Magadh range) S M Khopade with their firearms. The Maoists handed over to the Police their weapons -- one AK 47 rifle, eight regular rifles looted from the Police, besides around 3,000 rounds of ammunition, Maharaj said. The others surrendered cadres are identified as Nirmal Oraon, Nakharu Kharwar, Meghnath Paswan, Srinivas Singh, Rajendra Singh Kharwar, Chotelal Chero and Pramod Tiwari.

July 10: An encounter took place between the Police and CPI-Maoist cadres in Sakaul forest of Munger District. However, there was no report of injury on either side, the Police said. The Maoists fired upon the Policemen during a combining operation forcing the cops to fire over 125 rounds, SP, P Kannan said. Police recovered a rifle, 27 rounds of ammunition, five detonators, one carbine spring, five sets of Maoist uniforms, 25 blood clotting drugs and Maoist literature from the site of the encounter, Kannan said. The cops neutralised three watch towers and four bunkers of the Maoists in the forest, Kannan added.

Some Maoists posters were found in Karaili, Mahangama, Govindpur and Tarpar villages under Dharhara Police Station area in the District warning against posting of SPOs to carry out search operation against the Maoists.

July 12: A 'sub-zonal commander' of the CPI-Maoist was arrested from a place under town Police Station in Aurangabad District. Acting on a tip-off, the Police raided the place and arrested Vinod Paswan alias Navin Paswan, the Maoist leader. One country-made pistol and some live cartridges were recovered from him. Paswan was wanted in connection with the Tandawa encounter in which four troopers were killed two years ago, besides the attack on the construction-site of NTPC in Navinagar in the District.

July 14: The Police uncovered a mini-gun factory at Varna Dihri village in Rohtas District. Acting on a tip-off, the Police raided a house and unearthed the illicit factory, SP Manu Maharaj said. Six rifles, four unfinished rifles, besides several arm-manufacturing equipment and materials were recovered during the operation. One person was arrested in this connection, Maharaj added. He said it was being reported that arms were being supplied to the CPI-Maoist cadres from the illegal factory.

July 15: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist set ablaze road construction machines and two dumpers at Saraun village in Jamui District. Over 50 Maoist cadres raided the plant office of Pradhan Road Construction Limited, a private road construction firm, at Saraun and set ablaze a soil excavation machine, one pay loader and two dumpers after asking the night guards to vacate the premises.

Three CPI-Maoist cadres were arrested from the Gerua and Khasia forests during a search operation by SF personnel in Banka District. A joint team of the Police from Jamui and Banka Districts raided the forests on the said night and arrested the Maoists identified as Barku Marandi, Manoj Paswan and Digambar Das, said SP (Banka) Shyam Kumar. The Police have recovered two pistols and several Maoist literatures from them.

July 16: Armed CPI-Maoist cadres slit the throat of a villager and killed him at Bharpurva village in East Champaran District. Over 24 armed Maoist cadres raided the village, captured the villager and killed him, DSP Bambam Choudhary said. The Maoists left behind a leaflet claiming responsibility as he was allegedly working as a Police informer, the DSP added.

July 17: Acting on a tip-off, a raid was conducted by the Police in Naga Road locality close to the border under direct surveillance of the DSP Rajeev Ranjan and a cache of explosives, including detonators, fuse wires and timer watch used in making crude bombs suspected to be of the Maoists were recovered in East Champaran District. Several ornaments looted from a jeweller shop last month were also recovered. In addition five persons were also arrested.

Eight CPI-Maoist cadres, including a self-styled 'area commander' Sanjay Thakur, and a woman cadre, were arrested from Bashathpur village under Tariyani Police Station in Sheohar District. Acting on a tip-off, the STF of Bihar Police from Sheohar and Motihari raided the village where the Maoists had assembled last night and arrested them, SDPO S M Vakil Ahmed said. All the arrestees were reportedly involved in several operations carried out by the Maoists in Sheohar and East Champaran Districts, Ahmed added.

July 21: CPI-Maoist cadres blew up the house of a former sarpanch of Yadunathpur village and set ablaze his brother's house in Rohtas District. Around 12 Maoist cadres raided the village and triggered a dynamite blast blowing up the house of Gangeshwar Singh and later set ablaze the house of Maheshwar Singh.

July 23: The CPI-Maoist called for a bandh on July 27, protesting against the arrests of three of their cadres in the evening of July 17 in Bashathpur in Sheohar District. General Secretary of the CPI-Maoist, Prahar issued a notice saying the bandh would be a protest against the arrests of their cadres.

July 27: Armed cadres of the CPI-Maoist blew up a telecom tower and control room of a private telecom operator (Aircel) at Sonebersa village in Saran District.

July 30: The CPI-Maoist cadres shot dead three villagers belonging to Kharwar tribe at Banda village under Nauhatta Police Station in Rohtas District. Bodies of the victims were recovered on July 31. Sasaram SP Manu Maharaj said that three and not five villagers, as reported earlier, were killed in the attack. Over 100 Maoists took part in the attack that targeted former village headman Sugriva Kharbar, who heads an anti-Naxal group called Kaimuranchal Vikas Morcha (Kaimur Area Development Forum).

August 1: The Maoists shot dead two persons, identified as Lekhu Yadav and his nephew Manoj Yadav, at Phulhara village, adjacent to dense Karmatand-Hathia Jharna forest area in Banka District. An armed group of 10-12 Maoists abducted five persons from a paddy field. They reportedly released three of the villagers before killing Lekhu and Manoj. Sources said Lekhu was a former Maoist whom they suspected to be a Police informer.

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi admits Maoists are collecting money to let the road projects continue. "The Government does not deny levy collection but construction companies have to tell us so we can provide them security cover. We have already given security guards at some places," he says. Several area commanders arrested in Aurangabad and Gaya have admitted to charging levy up to 7-10 per cent of the project cost. "If the quality of work is poor (correspondingly the profit margin of company will be higher), Maoists even bargain for up to 20 per cent levy of the project cost," said a Police officer in Aurangabad.

August 2: Around 400 residents of at least six villages in Rohtas District fled for their safety as Maoists threatened to eliminate them for not supporting them. Three days after five people were killed by Maoists at Banda village, residents of Banda and neighbouring villages Pandav, Auraia, Udarga, Bhurunda and Shivsagar fled their homes to safer places. They were later lodged at a camp in Chenari block of the District.

August 4: Over 40 cadres of the CPI-Maoist raided the Bariarpur village under Barhat Police Station area in Jamui District and blew up a part of the house of Sumitra Devi, the village head.

The Maoists also blew up the house of a villager, identified as Ashok Yadav, at Karman tola in the same Police Station area, Police said.

August 6:SFs of Bihar, neighbouring Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand launched a joint operation 'Vishwas' (belief) to apprehend CPI-Maoist cadres in the wake of hundreds of people in Rohtas District having escaped from their villages in fear of the Maoists. The operation was being carried out by the STF, the CoBRA and the Police units of three States with helicopter assistance in the contagious forest areas, ranging from Kaimur and Rohtas Districts in Bihar, Palamau District in Jharkhand and Robertsganj District in Uttar Pradesh, Rohtas SP Manu Maharaj said.

August 11: Bihar Police will spend INR 300 million for the purchase of bullet-proof prefabricated barracks, which are currently being used by CPOs engaged in forward areas and a few States, including Chhattisgarh. According to a senior Police officer, around 50 such barracks would be installed in 15 Districts.

Heavily-armed cadres of the CPI-Maoist raided Ramban village under Shyampur Bhatta Police Station in Sheohar District and set ablaze the house of a village head Subodh Rai. Rai was not present at his house at the time of the incident.

August 12: Police arrested seven CPI-Maoist cadres, including 'area commander' Hemant Ram alias Ashutosh from Nazipur village in Muzaffarpur District. Hemant was wanted in connection with the killing of the then Munger SP K.C. Surendra Babu on January 5, 2005. Police said the Maoists had assembled in the house of one Suresh Ram to give final touches to their preparations to observe the Independence Day as 'black day' against alleged Police repression. Muzaffarpur SSP, Rajesh Kumar said a 9mm regular pistol, eight cartridges, Maoist literature, banners and posters were seized from them. This is for the first time that women Maoists have been arrested from Muzaffarpur District. Police identified them as Shalini alias Renu Kumari (22), daughter of Ram Ishwar Sahni of Olipur village in Sitamarhi District, and Rekha Devi (35), wife of Maoist Dhirendra Bhagat of Paigambarpur village in Muzaffarpur District.

Claiming that quality catch of the Bihar Police is very high DGP Neelmani said, "We are targeting top Maoist leaders and prepare the strategy after getting intelligence input." "We never believe in random search as it leads to nowhere," he added. Mentioning about that the State Police have limited resources, he said "We never got what we had requested for. We are working with minimum force in the state." He added that if more force was provided to the State, the Police would have worked more effectively against the Naxalites. According to the data available in the State headquarters, as many as 3,687 Maoist cadres were arrested in Bihar from 2001 to 2010. The arrests Maoists included several 'area commanders'. As many as 46 'area commanders' and senior Maoists were arrested in the State in 2011. In 2010, the figure was 59 while in 2009, the arrest figure stood to 33.

August 14: A CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Satyendra Rajvanshi, was arrested with arms and explosives from the forests near Ajaynagar village under Roh Police Station in Nawada District following an encounter. Two carbines, a country-made pistol, two rifles, explosives, besides a diary and Naxal literature were seized from him, SP Ravish Kumar said.

Heavily armed Maoists raided Parsawan village under the Raushanganj Police Station and abducted four villagers, three of them activists of the Sangharsh Samiti formed for the construction of a bridge over river Morhar, in Gaya District. The abducted men are Umesh Prasad, Manoj Prasad, Manoj Kumar and Chandrika Prajapat. Maoists are opposed to the bridge construction as it will facilitate faster Police movement in the area.

August 16: Rohtas District administration provided an assistance of about INR 150,000 each to nine former CPI-Maoist cadres who surrendered recently under the Central rehabilitation scheme for self-employment. The District SP, Manu Maharaj said that the money has been transferred to the respective bank accounts of the concerned persons. The nine are Anil Kushwaha, Nirmal Uraon, Nakharu Kharwar, Meghnand Paswan, Srinivas Singh, Rajendra Kharwar, Nirmal Kharwar, Chhotelal Chero and Pramod Tiwari.

About 50 inhabitants of the Government camp at Chenari in Rohtas District have fallen sick in the past one week because of poor sanitation and inhuman living conditions. Five of them are down with malaria. About 400 people belonging to Kharwar community have taken shelter at the camp for the past two weeks apprehending attack from the Maoists.

August 20: Maoist cadres fired about a dozen shots on Indradeo Prasad, a farmer near Narayanpur Bazar, under Rajepur Police Station area in East Champaran District killing him on the spot. The Police rushed to the spot and recovered 14 empty cartridges of modern weapons and some pamphlets. DSP, Chaudhary said that the STF and the CRPF headed by ASP were conducting raids at suspected hideouts of the Maoists involved in the incidents.

August 21: Bihar Police arrested a CPI-Maoist cadre while raids were on arrest about a dozen more Maoists in connection with the murder of two poor farmers belonging to Manuchak and Uzilpur villages under Rajepur Police Station in East Champaran District. B Chaudhary, DSP, said some armed Maoists made indiscriminate firing on Vishwanath Bhagat at Manuchak village killing him on the spot late into the night of August 19.

Urmila Devi Kharwar, a resident of Banda village in Rohtas District, blamed both the District administrative officials as well as the Maoists for the death of her child. Urmila, wife of Wakil Kharwar, is staying at the Chenari guest house camp since August 2 apprehending Maoist attack.

August 25: More than 50 armed CPI-Maoist cadres clad in Police uniform raided Phoolwaria Kodasi hamlet under Sikendra in Jamui District and forced the villagers to attend a jan adalat (kangaroo court) at the foothills of Latchuar hills, on the outskirts of the village. The Maoists asked the villagers to influence Baldev Koda, Lakhan Koda and Pintu Roy to surrender before them as they were responsible for killing eight Maoists and snatching their arms, ammunition and three motorcycles on February 8, 2010.

August 26: The Centre cleared several roadblocks to give a fillip to the State's rural development by agreeing to release the money needed for the construction of rural roads next month, and it also pointed out that the road construction works would also be taken up in the State's Maoist-hit seven Districts in a big way.

August 27: SP, Shivdeep Lade of Patna had received a death-threat local-area commander of the CPI-Maoist, in which he was threatened with being blown up into smithereens within the next 24 hours. He was advised not to make any further investigations into the Kundan Singh affair.

August 29: CPI-Maoist cadres abducted two villagers in Jamui District who had been allegedly extorting money and spreading fear in the area in the name and guise of the Maoists without having any link with the outfit. Nuneshwar Yadav and Sanjay Yadav were abducted from their homes in Gothiamoliatand village and were taken to an undisclosed location, said Police sources.

The Police, with the help of CRPF troopers, rescued 10 boys who were on their way to join the Maoists to earn a livelihood. The boys, aged between eight and 18, from Katoria block in Banka District were on their way to Patna to join the Maoist camp, Banka SP Shyam Kumar said. He said the boys would have joined the Bal Dasta. The boys said, the men came again on August 26 and offered them a job with a daily remuneration of INR 170 along with food.

August 31: The DGP-designate Abhayanand took over charge from the outgoing DGP, Neelmani, promising to check crime. He said he would consider multi-pronged steps to check Maoism and crime, and incidents of kidnapping for ransom would be tackled effectively.

September 1: The CPI-Maoist has initiated large-scale recruitment of young village boys and girls and training camps for the new cadres in inaccessible terrains of eastern Bihar Districts and neighbouring parts of Jharkhand. The intelligence reports claimed that the camps have been providing training to members of Marak Dasta. "In the camps, the newly recruited members were taught the basics of handling firearms, climbing trees, making bunkers in forests, measures to avoid arrest, getting information and developing sources from the rural folk and others," the report claimed. It said the camps are conducted for 15 days and a fresher has to undergo training in four or five camps.

Two CPI-Maoist commanders were arrested from their hideouts at Bodh Gaya and Atari in Gaya District. Acting on a tip off, the Police arrested Surendra Yadav alias Roshan, the Maoist 'sub-zonal commander' from Mastipur village under Bodh Gaya Police Station, SSP Vinay Kumar said. The other Maoist arrested by the Police was identified as Bhola Manjhi, an 'area commander' of the outfit of Rajgir region.

September 2: One villager was killed while two others were injured as more than 150 suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist raided Ghaghrizore hamlet under Barabasini panchayat under Katoria block in Banka District. The victim killed was identified as Sunil Mandal, suspected him to be a Police informer, while, Mahadeo Mandal, and the wife of Suraj Mandal suffered serious injuries in the attack.

DGP Abhayanand said that a composite move by the Police is needed to check Maoist violence in the State. He said that the problems related to Naxal terror are multi-dimensional and for this an effective strategy would be chalked out.

The Maoists are set to make some policy and organisational changes by the end of this year (2011). The changes are related to the strength of the politburo and the central committee members. The new policies are likely to come into effect with the beginning of 10th congress of CPI-Maoist from January 2012 as the five-year term of the 9th congress will expire in December 2011.

The very first day of taking office of the DGP, Abhayanand, issued a directive that all SPs would take permission from the IG, Operations for deploying the SAP for anti-Maoist operations. Now ADG, Law and Order, would have overall operational control over SAP. Thus the DGP has taken away from the SPs concerned the direct control over SAP, which was raised five years back. Incidentally, Abhayanand gets the credit of raising this force when he was ADG (Law and Order). SAP was created with the purpose of taking on Maoists and criminal gangs.

September 4: A top cadre of the CPI-Maoist, Radhe Mahto, who used to operate in Muzaffarpur, Vaishali, East Champaran, Sitamarhi and Sheohar Districts in north Bihar, was arrested. Arms and ammunition, including an AK-47 rifle, were seized from his possession. Giving this information, the DIG, Tirhut range, Bachhu Singh Meena said that the Muzaffarpur Police arrested Mahto during an intensive vehicle checking operation and physical verification of passers-by. The Police recovered a bag containing 249 cartridges and an AK-47 rifle meticulously wrapped in it. Mahto is a resident of Narayanpur village under Rajepur Police Station in adjoining East Champaran District.

September 7: A hardcore CPI-Maoist cadre was arrested in connection with the killing of SP, Surender Babu in Munger District six years back, Police said. Acting on a tip-off, the Police raided a place in Bhimbandh area of the District and arrested Vishun Deo Dada alias Aghaura. Surender Babu was killed in a landmine blast triggered by Maoists in Bhimbandh on January 5, 2005. Aghaura was wanted in connection with the killing.

Two cadres of the CPI-Maoist were arrested from Rohtas District. Two pistols and eight rounds of ammunition were recovered from them at a place under Rohtas Police Station area, SP Manu Maharaj said. The two arrested Maoists were identified as Mahender Choudhary and Rahul Kharwar.

September 8: A CPI-Maoist cadre was arrested from Budhua Ahara village in Munger District and a pistol and 10 rounds of ammunition were recovered from him, Police said. Acting on a tip-off, the Police raided a hideout and arrested Pappu Jha who was allegedly involved in various crimes, including killing of six people in Kareli village on July 1, 2011. Jha was arrested earlier too, but was released on bail, the Police said.

Two Maoists, identified as Mahendra Choudhary and Rahul Kharbar, were arrested during a combing operation in Taradih village on Kaimur plateau in Rohtas District. Two country-made pistols and eight live cartridges were seized from them.

September 9: The Police arrested three CPI-Maoist cadres, including a 'sub-zonal commander' of the outfit, from Aurangabad and Patna Districts. Acting on a tip-off, the Police intercepted a speeding motorcycle in Aurangabad District, and arrested the CPI-Maoist 'sub-zonal commander', Nawal Bhuyian, and his unidentified associate while they were trying to escape to a safer place.

September 12: Abhayanand, DGP of the State, mentioned that the problem related to the CPI-Maoist terror is multi-dimensional. One has to approach it two-way. Development works should be taken up in such areas by the Government. At the same time, the Police would do their work. He reminded that the Maoists who have taken up arms are also citizens of this country and one can't drive them out. So, one has to deal with them keeping all these facts in mind. The Police Forces have learnt from their past experience and will work accordingly.

September 12: The Railway Police arrested a suspected CPI-Maoist cadre, Shiv Kumar Bind, from Bhagwanganj locality in Patna District. Patna SP- Railways, Suresh Choudhary said Bind was an accused in a case relating to the setting ablaze of Nadaul railway station in Jehanabad District on June 16, 2011.

September 13: CPI-Maoist cadres shot dead an Ayurvedic doctor near Shiekhpura market under the Pakaridayal Police Station area in East Champaran District. According to reports, nearly 12 Maoists raided the doctor's clinic around 11pm when he was sleeping. They dragged him to a nearby paddy field and shot him at point-blank range. The victim, Rajesh Kumar, had enjoyed the company of the Maoists and had been their confidante for a long time.

September 17: Top CPI-Maoist leaders have been found investing money collected as levy from road contractors, businessmen and others in the equity market to make more profits. Maoists are said to be collecting around INR 20 billion as levy from across the country annually. Their "lust for lucre" was amply exposed when a Bihar Police team recovered share investment papers worth INR 820,000 from the hideout of a top Maoist leader, Birbal Murmu, alias Birbalda, during a raid at Chaupalwa village in the Laxmipur Police Station area of Jamui District on September 11.

September 19: CPI-Maoist cadres have shown keen interest in rural welfare projects in the districts of eastern Bihar, have blocked the progress of an ambitious health project in Lakhisarai District. The District administration was forced to stop the National Health Insurance Project (NHIP) in a number of villages after the Maoists abducted five employees of Financial Information Network and Operations Limited (FINO) from the Maoist affected Tali Kodasi village under Piri Bazaar Police Station of Lakhisarai District. The abducted employees were released after two hours with a warning "do not return".

September 18: CPI-Maoist cadres shot dead a farmer at Kadma village in East Champaran District.

September 21: Bihar Police was striving hard to tackle CPI-Maoist insurgency in the State with optimum use of resources, DGP Abhayanand said. "The State Police is doing its best to tackle Maoist insurgency in Bihar with the resources at its disposal," he added.

September 25: A hardcore Maoist and three others were arrested from Piprahi in Sheohar District, Police sources said. Acting on a tip-off, Police and the CRPF jointly sealed the border of East Champaran and Sheohar and arrested Dilip Kumar alias Mayank, a Maoist accused in several murder cases including that of an assistant commandant of CRPF. Three others were also arrested along with him, sources said.

September 27: A cadre of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Ramesh Yadav was arrested near a bus stand in Tiwari Bigaha village in Aurangabad District, a Police officer said. A native of Mahmudpur village under Atari Police Station area in Gaya District, Yadav was wanted in several incidents of Maoist violence.

September 29: Five cadres of the CPI-Maoist, including two Maoist 'area commanders', were arrested from the Districts of Bihar. The Rohtas SP, Manu Maharaj, said 'area commander' Munna Vishwakarma, a cadre Sone Ganga and another unnamed Maoist were arrested during combing operations at Kaimur hills of Rohtas District, bordering Uttar Pradesh. Police raided a hideout in East Champaran District and arrested another Maoist 'area commander', Balram Sahni, and his accomplice Bashath Kunwar from Bajhia Sahni tola (settlement) in East Champaran.

CPI-Maoist's eastern Bihar and Jharkhand regional committee put up posters in a number of villages of Jankidhi panchayat under Chanan Police Station in Lakhisarai District, accusing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Union home minister P. Chidambaram and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi of curbing the voice of the common man.

September 30: A mutilated body, suspected to be of Chhattu Yadav, a CPI-Maoist 'area commander' operating in Bihar and Jharkhand, was recovered from the Didarganj area of Patna City. Yadav had been reported missing since September 5 this year. He was living in Chainpur village under Bhagwanganj Police Station of the Masauri block on the outskirts of Patna. He had been arrested by Calcutta Police in 2010 and was sent to prison. He secured bail after six months and then returned to Chainpur. On September 30, the Police recovered a mutilated body from a stream in Madhopur under the Didarganj Police Station. Yadav's family was called for identification and they confirmed the body was his on the basis of a silver tooth. However, investigations are on in this regard as it can also be a ploy by Yadav to escape legal action.

The Police arrested a Maoist, identified as Sanjay Soren, from Lalmatia village in Munger District. Sanjay, wanted in connection with over 12 cases, was arrested along with a pistol, ammunition, a Police uniform, dry fruits and ultra-left literature.

October 2: A self-styled 'area commander' of the CPI-Maoist was arrested from East Champaran District. Acting on a tip-off, the Police raided Raghunathpur village and arrested the Maoist, identified as Nanhak Paswan, SP Ganesh Kumar said. An American made pistol and 66 live cartridges were seized from him. The arrested Maoist leader was wanted in connection with several operations executed by Maoists in Bihar and Jharkhand.

October 7: A CPI-Maoist cadre, Rajendra Yadav, was arrested from Chutia Police Station area of Rohtas District. Rohtas SP Manu Maharaj said Yadav was involved in collecting levy and supply of arms to the outfit.

October 9: Panchu Khera, the 'sub-zonal commander' of the CPI-Maoist, was arrested from an abandoned brick-kiln located inside the Pipratilha forest under Belhar Police Station in Banka District. According to Vikas Burman, the Banka SP, the arrested Maoist has disclosed vital information during Police interrogation. "He added that the Police have recovered one revolver, three live cartridges, a detonator and hand-bills from Khera.

October 9: Around 50 CPI-Maoist cadres attacked a private construction company site and assaulted the labourers on duty and subsequently set ablaze a machine engaged in construction of a bridge at Domuhan Bridge under Risiyap Police Station in Aurangabad District.

October 12: A Police team recovered a land-mine from Sakhaul village in Munger District while it was going for a raid following information about CPI-Maoist cadres.

October 13: Armed cadres of the CPI-Maoist shot dead former Samata Party District president and JD-U leader, Santan Singh (65) at Barem village under Nabinagar block of Aurangabad District.

Four traders of Giridih were abducted by suspected Maoists in Nawada District. Karu Shaw, Hira Shaw, Meghan Shaw and Ajay Choudhary had gone to Kauakol in Nawada District when the Maoists abducted them.

October 14: Armed Maoists set ablaze a JCB machine of private road-construction company at Jardeji village in Gaya District. Over 25 armed Maoists raided the office of Magadh Construction Private Ltd engaged in construction of roads and burnt the machine, sources said. They later managed to flee.

Four top CPI-Maoist cadres were arrested during raids at Teliadih village by Jhajha Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel in Jamui District. The arrested cadres were identified as Anil Ravida, Fago Ravidas, Raghuvir Ravidas and Anil Ravidas.

October 16: Dozens of heavily armed cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed a person, identified as Santosh Yadav, at Bagodar village under the Kothi Police Station in Gaya District. Santosh is said to be a cadre of the TPC, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, which is active in the Sherghati sub-division of Gaya District. On that day the Maoists raided his house, dragged out the inmates, looted valuables, including food-grains and other household items, and set the house on fire. While retreating, the Maoists abducted Santosh and subsequently killed him. The body was dumped on the Jharkhand side of the inter-state border. Sherghati SDPO, Mahindra Prasad, said Santosh's body had been sent for post-mortem examination.

October 22: A panchayat teacher of a primary school in Nasirchak village under Mohanpur block in Gaya District has been sacked from his job following the order of the District Magistrate due to his alleged links with the CPI-Maoist. The teacher, Rambali Paswan alias Gandhi, has been named accused under different sections of the IPC for his alleged involvement in murder, illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

October 23: Seven Maoists, including a "commander", were arrested during raids from two places in Rohtas District. While Maoist 'commander', Sudarashan Ram alias Firoj, and his four accomplices were near an under-construction bridge over Sone river in the Dehri-on Sone two Maoists were arrested from Chutia area.

October 27: Raiding a house at Bangalwa village under Dharhara Police Station area Munger District, Police arrested a Maoist, identified as Bablu Yadav.

October 30: Raiding Nakardawa Sareh under Rajepur Police Station area in East Champaran District, Police arrested two Maoists - Sujit Sahni and Ram Sagar Thakur. A country-made pistol, three cartridges and INR 4,150 were seized from them.

SF's destroyed two Maoist bunkers and seized about 5000 rounds of ammunition besides explosives from a training camp in Kubra hills in Gaya District.

November 1: Over three dozen armed Maoists abducted 15 labourers from Balthara village in Jamui District. Police said the labourers were engaged in constructing a bridge when they were forcibly taken away.

November 8: Over 50 armed cadres of the CPI-Maoist bull-dozed two school buildings at Dhangain and Haiya Sari villages in Barachatti Police Station area of Gaya District. Reports said that the Maoists used JCB machines of a construction company engaged in the construction work in the area to bulldoze the school buildings.

November 10: Police arrested six cadres of the CPI-Maoist after a gun-battle and seized arms, explosives and other materials used for making weapons in Suarmanwa forests in Rohtas District. Police seized two rifles, including an American semi-automatic rifle, one country-made rifle and a country- made pistol, besides 25 detonators, five litres of liquid explosives, 25 live cartridges, three magazines and other materials from the Maoists.

Police destroyed an illicit gun factory being run by the Maoists near Banskhoh area in the Kaimur plateau of the District.

November 15: Bharosha Ram, a former self-styled area commander of the CPI-Maoist-Leninist was arrested from Sahar Police Station area in Bhojpur District. Bharosha Ram was allegedly involved in five cases of carnage, between 1996-2000 in Bhojpur, Nalanda, Nawada and Aurangabad Districts.

The Bihar Government has sanctioned INR 810 million for anti-Maoist operations in the State. It has decided to purchase 51 mine-protected vehicles, 95 bullet-proof vehicles, 50 bullet-proof troop-carriers and 100 troop-carriers aimed at strengthening the anti-Maoist operations.

November 23: A senior Maoist leader identified as Jageshwar Yadav alias Jago Yadav was arrested from his home at Lariyatand village in Munger District. Yadav was a named accused in the July 2, 2011 Karaili massacre.

November 24: A former CPI-Maoist leader, Gaurishankar Jha (55), was killed by a gang of armed criminals at his home at Dostiyan village under Purnahiya Police Station in Sheohar District. His wife and daughter also suffered bullet injuries.

November 25: A CPI-Maoist cadre, Shankar Das alias Bhagwanji, was arrested from Phulkaha village in Bhatha Police Station area in Sheohar District, SDPO, S M Vakil Ahmed said. The Maoist was wanted in connection with several incidents of violence in the State, he said.

November 27: A squad of around 20 cadres of the CPI-Maoist destroyed the mobile tower of a private operator by triggering an explosion at Kanuali under Konch Police Station in Gaya District. According to Police, the Maoists took the step apparently after they were not given money by the operator.

December 1: A top CPI-Maoist cadre was arrested from Bara Bishunpur village in East Champaran District. Acting on a tip off, the Police arrested Vijay Prasad, while he was going somewhere on a bike, SP Ganesh Kumar said.

December 2: The authorities recovered mobile phones and sim cards among other articles from the central prison in East Champaran District, a Police official said. A team comprising civil and Police officials searched the jail premises and seized 23 mobile phones, 17 sim cards, 7 chargers, 8 batteries, an earphone and a hand-written note by the incarcerated CPI-Maoist Tirhut 'zonal committee' leader Suresh Baitha demanding levy of INR 500, 000 from a businessman, SP Ganesh Kumar said.

December 3: The Maoists demolished a mobile tower of a private operator and abducted its two security guards at Chain in Jamui District. About 30-40 armed Maoists raided the village and used explosives to destroy the tower before abducting the guards identified as Mahendra Singh and Babulal Singh.

Heavily armed Maoists attacked a camp of the CoBRA in Dumaria Police Station in Gaya District. There was no report of injuries or casualties from either side, Magadh range DIG, N Hasnain Khan said.

December 4: Vinay Singh alias Manan Singh, husband of Dharfari panchayat sarpanch Kamini Singh, was shot dead by a group of about 30 CPI-Maoist cadres who attacked the village under the Paroo block in Muzaffarpur District, to enforce the Bharat Bandh called by the Maoists. The Maoists also shouted pro-Maoist slogans and left behind a large number of leaflets.

As the two-day Bharat bandh called by the Maoists began, the Maoists set ablaze a cell phone tower in Aurangabad District. A large number of Maoists stormed Suhi village under the Kutumba Police Station and set ablaze the cell phone tower of private operator Airtel, the Police said.

The Police arrested two Maoists, Preman Kahar alias Preman Ram and Bharosa Mistri alias Doman Mistri, from their hideouts located at Hawsapur and Karium Bela villages respectively in Patna District.

December 5: A fierce gun battle started between the Police and CPI-Maoist cadres after more than 50 heavily armed Maoists attacked Tandwa Police Station in Aurangabad District, the concluding day of two-day 'Bharat bandh' called by the Maoists.

The Maoists set ablaze a three-wheeler near Arauri village under the Konch Police Station in Gaya District for violating their diktat to observe two-day bandh.

A suspected Maoist cadre involved in the attack on the camp of the CoBRA in Dumaria Police Station was arrested outside the CoBRA camp under Dumaria Police Station area in the District. The suspected Maoist is believed to have been hit by a bullet in the encounter.

December 6: Armed cadres of the CPI-Maoist exchanged fire with Police near Dhivra Police Station in Aurangabad District. Hundreds of armed Maoists fired at the premises of Dhivra Police Station prompting the policemen to return fire, SP Sidharth Kumar Jain said. There was no report of casualty from either side, Jain said.

The Maoists set ablaze a mobile tower of a private telecommunication company at Maduaha village under Sakra Police Station in Muzaffarpur District.

December 9: Suspected CPI-Maoist cadres abducted seven workers from two construction sites in Pakri village in Jamui District. Some 50 heavily-armed Maoists, the Police claimed, reached a makeshift workshop of a construction company which is engaged in construction of a bridge over Kiul River and abducted four labourers. The Maoists later went to another construction site where labourers were engaged in construction of a water tank of State PHED and abducted three of them.

Intelligence sources said Ravikant, a tribal cadre of the CPI-Maoist, was appointed as the new 'commander' of the Sone-Ganga-Vindhyachal zone last week, replacing Munna Vishwakarma, who was made commander after the death of Birendra Yadav alias Rana, in Rohtas District in July 1, 2011.

December 11: CPI-Maoist cadres released all the seven labourers after they were abducted on December 9 from Pakari village in Jamui District. The labourers were set free at a hillock near Rajaun Bishanpur village, SP R N Singh said.

December 15: A group of CPI-Maoist cadres destroyed a school by razing it down to the ground in Gaya District. Residents say around 100 armed Maoists stormed into Barachatti village with a bulldozer and demolished the building.

Six cadres of the CPI-Maoist, including two women, identified as Rudal Sahni, Sanjay Manjhi, Rajesh Singh (of Patahi), and Santa Paswan (of Shikarganj village) besides two 22-year-old women Kanchan and Bipasha, residents of Tariyani village in Sheohar District were arrested during a joint operation conducted by the STF and the local Police from a house in Mahmada Mushahar Toli under the Pathai Police Station in East Champaran District. IG-operations Rajesh Chanra said two pistols, 22 cartridges and Maoist literature were also recovered from their possessions.

December 16: CPI-Maoist cadres blew up the building of an upgraded Government middle school at Sarkanda village under Tankuppa block in Gaya District.

December 17: The Maoists demolished the building of another upgraded middle school at Chananwar village under Khaira block in Jamui District. The school had 14 rooms. A JCB machine was found near the destroyed school.

The Police neutralised an illegal arms and ammunition factory operated by the CPI-Maoist from a rented house in the Kanholi area under Mithanpura Police Station in Muzaffarpur District. A Police team recovered a stock of 900 cartridges and equipment that the Maoists used to make pistols and other firearms. Two Maoists, identified as Srikant Singh and Bipin Kumar, who were working at the factory near Bela Industrial Estate, were arrested. The Police also arrested the owner of the house, Nagendra Singh, who had rented out the accommodation to the Maoists. Muzaffarpur SSP Rajesh Kumar said the cartridges made at the arms factory were being supplied to the wings of the CPI-Maoist operating in north Bihar Districts. The Police also found three mobile phones at the factory. The SSP added that the Police have recovered raw materials used in making cartridges and some empty packets of cartridges as well.

December 19: Over 40 armed cadres of the CPI-Maoist raided the camp office of a road construction firm and set ablaze three machines of the firm at Bario Bishunpur village in Barhat Police Station in Jamui District.

December 20: SFs arrested a CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Ganesh alias Sanjay, while planting landmines at Ziura village under the Barachatti Police Station in Gaya District. The Maoist was overpowered and Police found two landmines from his possession.

December 21: Acting on a tip off, the Police raided a hideout and arrested a self-styled area commander of CPI-Maoist, identified as Inkesh Yadav, from Hiranman Diara under Mufassil Police Station area in Munger District. Yadav was the 'area commander' of Khagaria, Saharsa, Begusarai and Munger Districts and was wanted in at least 12 cases of murder, mostly related to Maoists violence.

The Maoists will organise a fair at Giddha village in Sitamarhi District next week for the second consecutive year in the memory of Mainuddin alias Ravi, a 'zonal commander' of the outfit, killed in an encounter with the CRPF personnel near Betaura village in East Champaran in 2007. "We are organising the fair on a large scale for the first time. Though it was held for the first time last year, the event was a low-key affair," said Prakash, who identified himself as a spokesperson of the CPI-Maoist.

December 22: Armed cadres of the CPI-Maoist set ablaze two saw machines at Salaiya village in Gaya District. Over 100 Maoists surrounded the machines and set ablaze the two machines charging the owners with supporting a rival faction, City SP Satyavir Singh said.

Dhanara village resident Ashok Sinha, accused of collecting levy from contractors and providing medical assistance to CPI-Maoist cadres, was arrested from Chaminia Tola under Shyampur Bhatha Police Station in Sheohar District. Sheohar SP Natash Gudia said Singh was arrested while he was planning to collect levy on behalf of the Maoists from some contractors.

The Bihar Police and the CRPF arrested four Maoists during search operations based on intelligence reports to counter Maoist activities in Gaya District. One of the arrested is 'sub-zonal commander' Neeru Yadav who was fairly active in the area. A cache of arms and ammunition was recovered from them. The arrested Maoists are accused of carrying out several attacks on schools, roads and bridges in the region.

The Maoists threatened to eliminate the Araria DM M Saravanan and SP Shivdeep Waman Lande, if their cadres incarcerated in the Araria jail are not released. In separate letters sent by registered post to the two officials, Maoist 'area commander' Krishna Yadav said his organization would trigger bombs on the premises of the DM and SP to kill them.

December 23: One CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Pancham Paswan, was killed and a gun was recovered during an encounter with armed Maoists and the Police at a village under Atri Police Station in Gaya District. Acting on secret information that Maoists have assembled at the village, a Police team reached the place, leading to an encounter. One gun and four live cartridges were recovered from the encounter-site, City Superintendent of Police Satyavir Singh said adding the Maoists later managed to flee.

The Patna Police team along with STF personnel arrested sub zonal committee member of north region of the CPI-Maoist, Gore Lal alias Shyamdeo Mochi along with his associate Surendra Ravidas from Masaurhi in Patna District.

December 25: A group of Maoists set ablaze hot mixing plant of a road construction company in Maniari village under Nagar Police Station in Sitamarhi District. The Maoists left behind a hand-written leaflet on the spot before making good their escape, Nagar Police Station's OIC Niranjan Prasad said.

The CRPF recovered 207 detonators and other explosive materials belonging to CPI-Maoist from Viraj village in Gaya District and detained two suspected Maoists. CRPF commandant Sanjeev Kumar said the para-military force acting on a tip off raided several houses in the village and recovered 50 m of fuse wire, six batteries, one kilogram explosive powder and Maoist literatures, besides the detonators.

December 27: The CPI-Maoist cadres set ablaze a pressure roller of a private firm engaged in construction of a road at Parta village under Amba Police Station in Aurangabad District. Over 25 Maoists raided the office of Ajay Engineering Company and set ablaze the pressure roller standing there in the evening, the Police said. The owner of the firm was former LJP MLA Vijay Kumar Singh alias Dabloo Singh.

December 28: Three persons were arrested with pistols and a country-made rifle meant for the CPI-Maoist from Mohraun village in Rohtas District. "Acting on a tip-off, the Police raided the village and arrested Rashid Ansari alias Pillu, Mahaboob Ansari and Multan Ansari," SP Manu Maharaj said. Nine pistols and a rifle were recovered from them, he said. Inquiry revealed that the weapons were manufactured at Garhwa District in Jharkhand and were meant for Maoists operating in Rohtas District.

December 29: Ignoring boycott call by the CPI-Maoist against his visit, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar undertook Seva Yatra and visited Maoist-infested Amba and Kutubagarh areas in Aurangabad District to inspect the development works being carried out by the authorities. Ahead of the CM’s visit, the Maoists had pasted posters in schools and government buildings asking the people to boycott his programmes in the District.

The Maoists raided Kanaudi village in Jamui District and killed three villagers. The victims were identified as Mumtaz Ansari, Fakruddin and Samimul.

December 30: Bullet-riddled bodies of four villagers abducted by CPI-Maoist cadres have been recovered from a pond in Behrar village in Banka District, Police said. The victims - Mansoor Ansari, Kallu Ansari, Kashim Ansari and Sahadat Ansari - were abducted from Kanaudi village in Jamui District on December 29.

December 31: Suresh Yadav alias Nagendra, a Maoist ‘area commander’, was arrested by Banka and Jamui Police near Khasia village under Belhar Police Station in Banka District. During interrogation he has confessed his involvement in the attack on Bihar Military Police camp at Akbarnagar, demolition of Sangrampur block office and Garua school building and killing several people. More than two dozen cases are pending against him in different Police Stations in the two Districts. The arrested Maoist was the ‘area commander’ of Sangrampur and used to collect levy on behalf of Birbal, the ‘area commander’ of the Jamui-Bhagalpur zone of CPI-Maoist. A 9mm automatic pistol, six live cartridges, a cellphone, INR 5,000 and Maoist literature were recovered from his possession.


Chhattisgarh

January 2: Normal life was badly hit on January 2 in the interior Districts of Chhattisgarh after the CPI-Maoist launched its 'protest week' against the conviction of Rights Activist Binayak Sen. However, no violence has been reported, Police said. Roads were blocked and shops downed the shutters in areas bordering the State's forest region. Vehicles avoided even the highways in Bijapur and Dantewada Districts fearing attacks, said the Police. Bastar, Rajnandgaon, some parts of Raipur, Dhamtari and Durg Districts were among the badly affected areas as the protest week began January 2. Shops were shut after the shopkeepers decided to obey the Maoists, a senior officer at the Police Headquarters in Raipur said.

January 4: Two cadres of the CPI-Maoist were killed in an encounter with the Police in Erka forested area in Narayanpur District. 'The encounter began when a Police contingent surrounded a forested hideout of the Maoists. The Maoists fired several rounds at the Police team and the troopers retaliated strongly in which the two Maoists were killed. Their bodies have been recovered,'' an official at the Police headquarters said. The official added that Police recovered a few weapons and explosives of Maoists at the encounter site.

January 6: Seven cadres of the CPI-Maoist were arrested in Bijapur District. The arrests were made from three different forest bases of Maoists in the District. "The Maoists who are mainly the village-level cadres were arrested during search operations, they had been involved in providing logistic support to seniors cadres for striking a few deadly attacks on civilians and forces," an unnamed senior official said. They are yet to be identified by the Police.

January 10: Three female CPI-Maoist cadres were arrested from an interior forested pocket in Bijapur District. "The women were arrested by a patrolling team comprised of District Force (DF) and the SPOs in Potenar area. We believe they were linked to a few attacks," said ASP B.P. Rajbhanu.

The Chhattisgarh Government has decided to add another 2,400 SPOs to be drawn from local youths to combat the Maoists, an official said. "The SPOs have proved to be an asset for the State in fighting Maoist militancy and also in breaking their intelligence network," a senior Police Officer said. He said that at least 2,400 local youths in Bastar will be appointed as SPOs in 2011 to team up with Police and Central Forces to dismantle Maoists terror network in a sprawling area of 40,000 square kilometres. "The youths who know much about Maoists locally in Bastar as well as their intelligence set up and want to serve the country to eliminate Maoists will be recruited as SPOs. The appointment process will begin soon," the Officer added. Bastar region already has about 2,500 SPOs. They are paid a monthly remuneration of INR 3, 000 as they are not part of the regular Police Force. The authorities spend a good amount on providing capsule training on guerrilla warfare and arms handling to the SPOs.

January 11: One SPO was killed in an encounter between the Chhattisgarh Police and the cadres of the CPI-Maoist in a forested pocket of Bijapur District. However, the Chhattisgarh Police claimed they killed several Maoist cadres in the gun battle. During the encounter two SPOs also received injuries while the Police arrested two Maoists after the encounter. SP Avinash Mohanty said, "The casualty figure of Maoists may be up to 12. We arrested two rebels as well but lost a SPO in the battle while two other SPOs received gunshots and were rushed to government hospital." He also said some explosives were also recovered from the encounter site.

January 12: In a joint operation, the State Police and the Paramilitary Forces neutralised a camp of the CPI-Maoist in the Kutru region of Bijapur District. "Police personnel had an encounter with the Maoists. It carried on for half an hour. But they managed to run away. We then searched the area and recovered some item including arrows and bows," ASP, B P Rajbhanu, said. He also said that the Police believe at least two to three Maoists were killed during the encounter.

As many as 379 Maoists lodged in a jail in Dantewada District continued their hunger strike for the second day demanding that they be released as they had been arrested on 'false charges'. "Their demands are quite surprising... they are seeking bail claiming to be arrested on false charges and also demanding that Police should not arrest tribal people in name of Naxalites," DC R. Prashanna said.

January 14: Chhattisgarh Police began probe into unclaimed cartons of CPI-Maoist literature found at Raipur railway station's parcel go down that reportedly had vital details about key Maoist leaders. Sources said that railway authorities reported to Police that two unclaimed cartons filled with vital documents belonging to Maoists were lying for a long period at parcel go down. "Police stepped in to probe on an urgent basis as one of the articles in a Maoist magazine contains a list of Maoist leaders killed since 2004 in fight with Police," Chhattisgarh DGP Vishwaranjan said. He said, "The literature was dispatched about six-seven months back from Bihar's capital Patna town and was addressed to a Raipur resident but somehow it was lying in a parcel room at Raipur railway station."

January 16: SFs recovered cache of arms and ammunition from a Maoist hideout in Bhanupratappur village in Kanker District. "We got the information that four guns were kept somewhere in the nearby forest covered with wild grass. After getting this information security forces along with the BSF went there immediately and recovered the arms,' Police said.

January 18: Two self-styled 'deputy commanders' of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Mukchi Bheemand and Kudiyam Budhram, were killed in a gunfight with a contingent of the District Force and SPOs during a combing operation in Gucchakonta village in Bijapur District. The bodies of both the Maoists were recovered. Six cadres were arrested while over a dozen of them managed to escape into forests, SP Rajendra Das said. A loaded rifle, bows and arrows, detonators and Tiffin bombs were recovered from the spot, SP Rajendra Das added.

The Supreme Court said that the anti-Naxal (LWE) operations cannot impede education and ordered paramilitary forces to vacate school buildings and hostels within four months in Chhattisgarh's Maoist-infested Districts. A bench comprising Justices B Sudershan Reddy and S S Nijjar wanted the State to rehabilitate tribals uprooted from villages by the continued Naxal-Police conflict and who were living a 'prisoned' life in relief camps.

January 19: Chhattisgarh Police arrested two CPI-Maoist sympathisers and a chemist shop owner in Mudhuvendi village in Dantewada District of Chhattisgarh. According to S.R.P Kalluri, SSP, the chemist had been providing drugs and medicinal equipments to the Maoists. "At least five villagers of Mudhuvendi village came to buy medicines with INR 30,000 and this time we followed them at night and arrested them. We could arrest only two, the rest three managed to escape and we have interrogated them," Kalluri added. However, Arjun, the arrested chemist said that he was threatened by the Maoists to supply them with medicines or else face dire consequences.

January 20: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed a villager, identified as Ramsu in Badhgaon under Kanker District. The body of Ramsu was found on the outskirts of Badejharkatta village with a poster stuck on his clothes accusing him to be a Police informer. The Maoists also threatened villagers with similar consequences if they supported the administration.

January 25: Five Policemen left their camp in Narayanpur District to proceed on leave, but were abducted enroute by a group of CPI-Maoist, Police said. An unidentified civilian too was taken hostage. "The Policemen were travelling on a civilian passenger bus, unarmed and dressed in civilian clothes. A group of 30 Maoists stopped the bus and asked the people to disembark. Everybody was searched. It appears that the five Policemen's identities were revealed and they were taken away," said Narayanpur SP Mayank Srivastava. He said it was not clear why the civilian too was abducted.

January 28: A trooper of the ITBP, Bhoop Singh, was killed in a CPI-Maoist attack in Rajnandgaon District. The Maoists opened fire on a joint party of the District Police, the Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF) and the ITBP near Khunera in the Ambagad Police limits, IG R.K. Vij said. The ITBP personnel retaliated and the exchange of fire lasted over an hour, Vij said. No other casualty was reported.

January 31: The CPI-Maoist cadres released the civilian, identified as Gulchand, who had been abducted along with five Policemen of the Chhattisgarh Armed Forces (CAF), while they were on their way in a bus to Narayanpur District, in the District on January 25. "We received information that a local named Gulchand abducted by the Maoists has returned. So, we called him for interrogation to the camp. However, we have not received any important information from him as to where the Maoists have kept the abducted policemen," said K. L. Dhruv, Commander of the CAF. "We are trying to find out where the Maoists have kept the abducted Policemen. We are interrogating the villagers on a regular basis," added Dhruv.

February 1: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist sent a list of demands to the authorities in Chhattisgarh to release five Policemen they had abducted on January 25 in Narayanpur District. "I heard that Maoists have sent a list of 11 demands from their forested location late Tuesday in exchange of the abducted cops' release... we are trying to get the details of the demands," SP Narayanpur District, Mayank Srivastava said.

February 2: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist shot dead Nohar Singh, a Salwa Judum leader, in a forested stretch near Toanar village in Bijapur District. Singh was also linked with the State's ruling BJP, D P Rajbhanu, ASP, said.

A Police team arrested eight Maoists from the Bhairamgarh and Modakpala Police area of the District. Rajbhanu added that all the eight Maoists were involved in several attacks in Bijapur.

February 6: The Police discovered schools for teaching CPI-Maoist ideology to the village children between Abujmad, a thickly forested belt in Narayanpur District, and Indravati in Bijapur District. Subsequently, the Police and the Security intelligence raided two other schools in the neighbouring villages, also found evidence of existence of a dozen such residential schools, each having one or two Maoists teachers, and "rescued" 17 students, all children of Maoist couples, or widows, to rehabilitate them in other ashram schools in Bhairamgarh. The Police recovered books meant for the pupils and courses designed to teach the children alphabets of different languages and Maoist ideologies. "A caretaker of such a school, arrested by Police, had spilled the beans by revealing existence of such schools in Bastar region, comprising Districts of Bijapur, Narayanpur, Dantewada, Kanker and Bastar," a SDPO said.

February 10: A top leader of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Sankhu alias Biju, 'chief' of Dandakaranya area and member of Pipragarh dalam was arrested during a joint operations by a team of ITBP Force and SPOs from Jamree village in Rajnandgaon District. Four kilograms of high-intensity explosives, a gun and some Maoist literature was recovered from him, the sources said.

February 11: After keeping five Policemen for 18 days in captivity in the forests of Bastar, the CPI-Maoist released and handed them over to social activist Swami Agnivesh in the forests of Dhoudai in Narayanpur District. The Policemen were kept away from carrying out search operations as demanded by the Maoists. Swami Agnivesh, along with rights activist Gautam Navlakha, PUCL secretary Kavita Shrivastava, Chennai High Court Lawyer V Suresh, PUDR member Harish Dhawan and Sarvadharma Sansad representative Manu Singh met the Maoists in the forests of Dhoudai in Abujmarh. The Maoists handed over the five Policemen to the activists as promised earlier.

February 12: During a search operation in Kanker District, Chhattisgarh Police arrested two female cadres of the CPI-Maoist, near a forest area. The Police recovered one loaded gun and some explosives from them. The Police are trying to establish the identities of the arrested women, SDO Anil Soni said.

February 14: Cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed Munnalal Markam, a SPO, in Gondpalli village in Dantewada District. He was posted at Dantewada Police Station and had gone to a relative's house at Gondpalli when the Maoists killed him, Police said.

Four CPI-Maoist cadres, identified as Sonaram Yadav, Dharma Nage, Massa Netam and Tulsiram Netam, residents of Barda village under Badedonger Police Station area, surrendered before the Police at Jagdalpur in Bastar District. The surrendered Maoists have stated that they decided to join main stream of society, SP Sundar Raj P. said.

February 20: A Police patrol party neutralised a CPI-Maoist camp and arrested two Maoist cadres after an encounter with the Maoists in Bhejji area of Dantewada District. Police recovered two detonators, 500-gm of explosives, a gun, a motorcycle and Maoist literature from the camp, ASP D K Maravi said.

Another Police patrol party exchanged fire with the Maoists in Polampalli area of the District. However, there was no report of causality in the encounter.

February 24: The Chhattisgarh Government told the SC that it would not be possible to shift villagers from relief camps within a definite timeframe due to possible reprisals from the CPI-Maoist which killed 700 tribals in the past five years.

In an affidavit submitted through counsel Atul Jha, the State Government however, said it was taking all steps to gradually shift the villagers back to their villages from the relief camps set up close to Police Stations in the worst Maoist-hit Dantewada and Bijapur Districts. Since 2005, the relief camps in Dantewada and Bijapur have been attacked 34 times. In 2010 alone, these relief camps have been attacked 9 times. In the last five years, more than 700 innocent tribals have been killed by Maoists after being branded as sympathiser of Salwa Judum or as Police informers. "It is submitted that in the prevailing security scenario with the Maoists determined to exterminate all those people opposed to them or unwilling to join their cadre, it would not be possible to force the remaining inmates of these camps to leave immediately," the affidavit said. The State's affidavit comes in the backdrop of the January 18 SC's direction to wind up the relief camps as civil rights groups alleged they are used to shelter armed Salwa Judum members and special Police officers trained by the Government to tackle Maoists.

March 1: Chhattisgarh has spent INR 12.23 billion for creating road network since 2003-04 in the CPI-Maoist-affected areas, a senior Minister told the State Assembly. PWD Minister Brijmohan Agrawal informed the House in a written reply to Leader of Opposition Ravindra Choubey that a little over INR 12.23 billion was spent since 2003-04 for road infrastructure in Maoist-affected areas. He stated that 395 road works had been completed while construction works were underway on another 101 roads. The Minister added that INR 10.63 billion was made available by the State Government while the rest of the amount was provided by the Central Government.

March 4: Three armed cadres of the CPI-Maoist were arrested in from Pakhanjoor area in Kanker District. Officials at Police Headquarters said that District Force personnel arrested the three cadres when they were holding a meeting in the forested pocket, while several others, managed to escape. The three cadres wanted in several Maoists attack cases in the District and its neighbouring Narayanpur District are yet to be identified by the Police.

March 8: The Chhattisgarh Government has purchased 3,065 bullet-proof jackets for its Police Force in its fight against the CPI-Maoist cadres, State Home Minister Nankiran Kanwar told the Raipur Assembly. In April 2010, Chhattisgarh saw one of the worst Maoists attacks on its SFs in which 75 troopers were killed. Each jacket, weighing 6.3 kilograms and will cost INR 56,137.50. Kanwar, in his written reply to Congress member Shakrajit Nayak, also said that the Union Home Minister had exempted the jacket purchase from customs and excise duty.

March 10: 590 persons, including 298 SF personnel- most of them Paramilitary troopers, have been killed in 667 CPI-Maoist attacks in Chhattisgarh since 2009. "A total of 298 Security personnel were martyred while 292 civilians were also killed in the State during January 2009 till January 2011, in a total of 667 Maoist attacks," a source at the Police headquarters in Raipur said on March 9. He said Paramilitary troopers suffered the maximum casualty as 170 of their personnel were killed; the State Police Force lost 86 Policemen while 42 SPOs were also killed by Maoists.

The IAF said it has deployed Garud Special Forces commandos and four choppers for anti-Naxal operations but withdrawn the UAVs operating in CPI-Maoist-affected areas in Chhattisgarh. To protect its choppers from the Maoists attacks, the IAF chief said Garud Commandos have been deployed on these helicopters to retaliate whenever such a situation arises.

March 14: The Police claimed to have killed 30 CPI-Maoist cadres in an encounter in Dantewada District after an ambush by the Maoists killed three Policemen dead and nine others injured. ADG (Naxal operations) Ram Niwas said that a Police team of 145 troopers were on a search operation in the Chintalnaar area, when the Maoists struck. "In the ambush by the Naxals, three of our men were killed and nine were injured," said Ram Niwas. He further said that the Police claim "to have killed 30 Naxals" in retaliatory action. "Police did not collect so far a single dead body of Maoists and it is probable that rebels have carried away the bodies of their colleagues deep inside the jungle," Bastar IG T.J. Longkumer added.

The Maoists also set ablaze 10 vehicles near Pakhanjoor in Kanker District.

March 16: Two CPI-Maoist cadres were killed in an encounter with the Police in a forested area in Bhairamgarh of Bijapur District. "It was a brief but fierce gun battle between the Maoists and Police. Two rebels were killed. Their bodies have been recovered. Some arms were found at the spot," a source at the Police headquarters said. However, there was no report of any casualty or injury of the Policemen, the Police said.

March 19: Six cadres of the CPI-Maoist were arrested from the forest area of Bastar District. The Police recovered two loaded guns and some explosives from them. The Maoists were holding a "meeting" in the forest area near village Hitameta and Nardongri when they were noticed by the SFs who were patrolling in the area, the Police said, adding the group started fleeing after sensing the presence of the Police, and were arrested.

March 20: CPI-Maoist cadres shot dead Sampat Vyas (60), a local trader, accusing him of spying on them for the Police in Kodakhori village under Manpur Police Station in Rajnandgaon District. "Three armed Maoists walked into a house of local trader Sampat Vyas, in Kodakhori village, and pumped several bullets into him. He died on the spot," an official at Police Headquarters said. The Maoists left a few leaflets after the killing and claimed the man was a spy for local the Police against Maoists.

Maoists killed Mochi Ram Kureti (57), a villager of Umarpal village in the District, the Police officials said. Kureti was killed by the Maoists in Umarpal village last night, Rajnandgaon ASP, S R Salam said. Pamphlets found from near his body said Kureti was killed as he was seeking people’s support to restart an iron ore mine, the ASP added.

March 21: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed a forest official at Gariaband forested area in Raipur District. "Some 3-4 Maoists reached the house of Madhusudan Patil and despite opposition from his wife took him away and killed him by slitting his throat at a culvert, hardly half a kilometer from his house," SP Lambodar Patel, said. He said Patil tried to run away when Maoists first hit him around the neck but he collapsed and died on the spot.

March 21-22: The Police arrested eight CPI-Maoist cadres in Narayanpur District in the last two days, SP Mayank Srivastava said. They were wanted in criminal cases like murder, attempt to murder, arson, robbery and sedition, he said, adding the Maoists are being interrogated.

March 23: Two cadres of the CPI-Maoist were killed in a joint operation by the Police and Paramilitary Forces Force in the forests between Remadand and Kulanar village in Narayanpur District. Narayanpur SP, Mayank Srivastava, said that about 50 Maoist cadres had assembled near the Kulanar village and the forests surrounding the area. Srivastava said: "Our joint forces of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Special Task Force (STF) and the District Force (DF) had gone on a forest search operation, during which they anticipated Maoist presence in the area." "They surrounded the area and an exchange of fire took place between the two sides. Later in the search operation we recovered two bodies and a 12 bore gun, a 9 mm pistol and a bomb," he added.

The Police arrested four Maoists in Faras village of the District. They are suspected to be senior Maoist cadres and have several criminal cases registered against them.

March 24: SP Mayank Srivastava said that two CPI-Maoist cadres, including a self- styled ‘commander’, were arrested by the Police from Gotabenur village of the District. Punuram is a Maoist ‘commander’ while the other was identified as Mankuram, Srivastava said.

The CPI-Maoist cadres dragged Kirtan Mandawi, a 50-year-old man from his home and shot him dead near the forest in Koracha village in Rajnandgaon District. The Maoists after killing him left behind a note reporting that he was a Police informer hence they killed him.

March 26: The CPI-Maoist cadres condemning the alleged Police rampage in the villages of Dantewada District has called for a protest (virodh diwas) in Bastar region for five days. Maoist leader and spokesperson of East Bastar Special Area Committee, Niti, in her statement released to the journalists in Bastar said that from April 11 - 15 the Maoists will observe ‘virodh diwas’ followed by total shut down for two days from April 16. "The functioning of health centres, schools and colleges are exempted from this bandh. And we warn the police not to commit such cruel and disruptive acts in future otherwise they will have to pay heavy price", she said.

March 29: Speaking in the Vidhan Sabha, Chhattisgarh Home Minister Nankiram Kanwar admitted that 327 troopers of the Chhattisgarh Police and CRPF conducted a five day area domination exercise from March 11 to March 16 and raided the villages of Morpalli, Timapuram and Tarmetla; but claimed that, in each instance, the SFs were ambushed by the CPI-Maoist cadres who set ablaze the villages and escaped in the ensuing confusion. According to Mr. Kanwar’s statement, the SFs raided Morpalli village on March 11, when they were attacked by the Maoists. The Maoists then allegedly set ablaze to a number of homes and escaped. Citing the testimony of one Madavi Ganga of Morpalli village in this regard, Mr. Kanwar said a case had been registered in the Chintalnaar Police Station.

April 6: The Chhattisgarh Government opposed the petition of rights activist Binayak Sen in the apex court seeking bail and stay on his life term for his reported links with the Naxals (LWE). While responding to a March 11 notice on the petition by Binayak Sen challenging the rejection of his bail by the High Court on February 10, the State Government said Sen was involved in providing safe hideouts and logistic support to top cadres of the CPI-Maoist.

The Chhattisgarh Police arrested a tailor, identified as Puranchand Meher, for reportedly supplying uniforms to the Maoists from Indagaon area in Raipur District along Odisha border. The Police recovered 20 trousers, five full-sleeved shirts and 35 metres of olive green tericot cloth from his shop. "These were Maoist uniforms, each a different size," Gariaband, SP, Kamal Lochan Kashyap, said.

April 7: Eight cadres of the CPI-Maoist were arrested by the Police from Anjarel and Palaksa villages in Narayanpur District. Out of the eight Maoists, six cadres were carrying a reward of INR 5,000 on their heads, SP Mayank Srivastava said. On a tip off, a Police party carried out combing operation and arrested the cadres who had been absconding for long time and the Police recovered three loaded guns, ammunition and detonators from them.

April 10: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh has described Naxals as the "biggest threat" to democracy and vowed to pursue its current policies to eliminate the Maoist menace. Naxalism and terrorism are the "biggest threat" to the country and its democracy. If democracy is to be kept alive, the Naxal violence has to be eliminated, he said at a function in Raipur District. The State will remain firm on its policies while tackling the Naxal violence, Singh said, adding the people of Chhattisgarh are with the Government in this fight.

April 11: Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event at the College of Defence Management (CDM) in Hyderabad, the Chhattisgarh Governor, Shekhar Dutt, said the Naxalites (LWE) are obstructing development in the areas where they have a strong presence in Chhattisgarh, but the Government is trying to sow the seeds of growth to root out the menace. "These people have closed a particular area from all kinds of development because it is their interest to see that no development takes place," he said. "I think we have to gradually move in and the seeds of development must go into these places. Therefore, it is not something which can be done immediately. Immediately, it can be done. That is by force. But we are not using that kind of force," he said. To a query, the Chhattisgarh Governor said the anti-Naxal operation is not like a traditional war in which the SFs will have quick success. "This is not that kind of a thing. It is regarding a number of people, the villagers are not allowed to do their own business. Own business does not mean just living in the forest areas. They must improve along with time. New technologies and communication must come. For communication, you need towers. If they destroy the (cell phone) towers, are they pro-people or against people?" he asked. Dutt, in his valedictory address to the CDM students, said the concept of security should not be confined to the application of force by the State.

Dutt defended the necessity of the Koya commandos in Chhattisgarh to resist Naxals. Dutt said that the tribals in Chhattisgarh had to survive among the Naxals who were brutally attacking them. He said that many locals had been killed as the Naxals had suspected them to be police informants and added that the locals thus needed to defend themselves. When asked about the Supreme Court's concern over the Chhattisgarh Government's Koya commandos, the Governor refused to comment. The apex court on April 6 had expressed concern over the creation of Koya commandos and giving them arms to deal with Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist). The court has sought a response from the Chhattisgarh Government by April 15 following an affidavit filed by Swami Agnivesh.

April 14: The Chhattisgarh Government has told the Supreme Court that PUCL leader and pediatrician Binayak Sen should not be granted bail as he had arranged for safe hideouts to top leaders of the CPI-Maoist and helped them get employment under concealed identity. Ahead of the April 15 hearing on Sen's bail plea by a Bench of Justices H S Bedi and C K Prasad, the State through standing counsel Atul Jha submitted an additional affidavit before the court terming the activities of Sen and his wife Elina as "anti-national" as they helped the cadres of the CPI-Maoists, which had been declared a terrorist organisation and banned by the Centre and the State Governments.

The State Government said that for the top Maoist leaders, he arranged safe hideouts by arranging houses on rent, helped them open bank accounts and in getting employment under concealed identity and provided employment by incorporating trusts. It said the Andhra Pradesh Police announced a cash award of INR 1.2 million for the arrest of top Maoist leader and politburo member Narayan Sanyal on March 25, 2006, but Sen maintained strong links with him. When Sanyal was arrested and lodged in jail, Sen met him on the false pretext of treating him. "Sen met Narayan Sanyal 33 times within a short span of 11 months (from June 5, 2006 to April 30, 2007) by falsely representing him as a brother and relative of co-accused Sanyal.

The purpose of meeting entered in the (jail) register was 'domestic reason'," it said. The Raman Singh Government also said that Sen's wife Elina had also helped top Maoist Shankar Singh and Amita Srivastava in opening bank accounts. "The petitioner also arranged job for absconding top Maoist Amita Srivastava in a local school. To camouflage the identity of top Maoists, Sen and his wife Elina Sen showed top Maoists as employees of their alleged charitable organisation `Rupanter'," the State Government said. It said that being a PUCL member did not justify harbouring top Maoists and arranging safe hideouts for them. "As a concerned citizen of this country, the petitioner ought to have informed the Police about the whereabouts of hardcore Naxalites [Left Wing Extremists]."

April 16: Around 100 to 150 Maoist cadres set ablaze a JCB machine, two generators, two mixture machines, two tractors, one operating machine, along with more than half a dozen other machinery parts and motor spare parts of a road construction firm and assaulted the labourers employed in Dolangi Village in Ramchandrapur in Surguja District. The Maoists had demanded INR five million as levy and along with other demands. The cadres set ablaze instruments approximately to the worth of INR 15 million.

April 17: Two villagers, including a former sarpanch were killed CPI-Maoist cadres near a weekly market under Miratpur Police Station limits in Bijapur District. About more than a dozen Maoist cadres opened fire in which a villager, identified as Chugadu and a former sarpanch Chandru (45), were killed on the spot. Miratpur sarpanch Malti Kashyap said the Security Force was present and a brief encounter with the Maoists took place which forced the cadres to flee.

April 20: A CPI-Maoist cadre was killed during a gun-battle with the Police in Chinnari forest area of Narayanpur District. SDO, Dev Narayan Patel said that the Maoists were gathered to conduct a meeting ahead of elections in the area in order to motivate the youth to join their ranks. The Police also recovered a rifle, six cartridges, a Tiffin-bomb, Maoists literature, wires, three detonators, other explosives and grocery items from their hideout.

April 25: The Chhattisgarh Government is planning to use UAVs of the IAF to conduct reconnaissance of Naxal (LWE)-hit areas even as SFs are mulling entering the CPI-Maoist stronghold of Abujhmad. "We are in talks with the IAF to get the help of their different variants of UAVs which can fly over the Maoist-hit areas in the State and provide us surveillance of the ground. The IAF has its UAVs presently at Nagpur and we plan to use them from a base in Jagdalpur," DGP Vishwa Ranjan said. "The renewed effort is to push out Naxalites in Abujhmad by conducting joint operations with central forces like CRPF and BSF," Ranjan added. "An anti-mine vehicle manufactured by an Israeli firm may soon carry out tests to detect land mines and IEDs, stealthy put under the ground. It is a robotic vehicle which works on cat-scan principle and costs about Rs 20 crore [INR 200 million]," he added.

April 27: Two landmines planted by the CPI-Maoist cadres were recovered from forested locations in restive Bastar region. A 15-kilogram landmine, buried in a road in Palnar area in Dantewada District, was recovered while another five-kilogram landmine was found from Cherpal village in Bijapur District. Police said both the landmines were placed to target SFs who routinely search the area for the Maoist cadres.

April 28: Suspected CPI-Maoist cadres fired at a Salwa Judum local leader identified as P. Vijay Kumar, injuring him critically at Kunta in Dantewada District. According to sources, the incident took place just a few kilometres from the Andhra-Chhattisgarh border in Dantewada when three suspected Maoist cadres opened fire on Vijay, with pistols while he was shopping at a weekly market in Kota village. “Three armed Maoists clad in school uniform opened fire in a full public view in Konta block at Vijay Kumar,” ADGP Giridhari Nayak said. Top official sources said that Maoists were desperately looking to kill Vijay, a teacher by profession, after he was named in a Police report for leading a group that assaulted Swami Agnivesh when he was on way to Tarmetla where Policemen were accused by poor villagers of burning down their nearly 300 huts besides raping and torturing a few women in a rampage that went on for several days.

April 29: Citing security reasons, the EC relocated 200 polling booths for the May 8 by-election in Bastar parliamentary constituency. “We have changed the voting places of 200 polling booths out of Bastar’s total 1,716 booths,” Sunil Kujur, chief electoral officer, Chhattisgarh said. He said the ‘relocation of voting places was being done mainly for security reasons which was necessary for smooth conduct of elections’. In 2009 when Bastar went to polls, some 88 polling booths had been relocated, he added. Official sources said the 200 booths that were relocated were based in forested areas controlled by CPI-Maoist and the authorities were not in a position to hold elections and also to deploy forces and send polling teams. The election for Bastar was necessitated by the death of BJP Member of Parliament Baliram Kashyap in March 2011.

Three Maoist cadres were arrested in a raid on their forest hideout in Bhanupratappur area in Kanker District. An officer at the Police Headquarters in Raipur said that the arrested Maoists were wanted for two years in cases involving attacks on Police and civilians and damaging Government property.

May 1: The SFs recovered huge quantities of weapons and ammunition during a raid in the forests of CPI-Maoist-affected Churia region close to the inter-state border of Maharashtra in Rajnandgaon District. IGP Rajinder Kumar Vij said a team of SFs accompanied by Maharashtra Police raided a Maoist hideout in the forests near Bijepar and found a dump with 400 detonators, 84 rounds of 12 bore, five rounds of eight mm, alternators, switches and Maoist literature. The search is still on, Vij added.

May 8: One trooper, identified as Ishwar Lal, deployed on election duty was killed by the CPI-Maoist cadres at Khutepal near Bhusaras in Dantewada District. The Maoists also triggered landmine blasts at three separate places in South Bastar and tried to blow up vehicles to terrorise polling parties. Incidents of random firing were reported at several places in Narayanpur and Bijapur Districts, Police sources said.

The Maoists, who had given a call to boycott elections, blew up a 33 KVA transformer, disrupting power supply to Kuakonda, Sukma, Konta and Chintagarh Development blocks in the District.

May 9: A special conference of the Maoists, active in the tribal areas in Kerala, was held at an unspecified location in Chhattisgarh from April 20 to 25. Sources said senior leaders of the outfit, including its 'general secretary' Muppala Lakshmana Rao alias Ganapathi, spoke in the conference. Sources said around 20 underground Maoists, including its former 'state secretary' Roopesh alias Praveen alias Mohan, attended the conference. Roopesh, against whom there is a case of harbouring Maoist leader Malla Raji Reddy, has been given some assignments in the Dandakaranya region. He and his wife Shyna have been absconding ever since the Police launched a hunt after the arrest of Reddy in Ankamali in 2007.

May 10: The CPI-Maoist cadres blew up a Police vehicle in Bastar District. "A powerful blast ripped through the Tata-407 vehicle. The driver was seriously injured. An assistant sub-inspector, who was following the vehicle in a car, too was injured. Both were taken to a hospital in Narayanpur," Bastar SP P. Sundarraj said. The blast took place at Kakori culvert, more than 300 kilometres south of capital Raipur. The vehicle was on its way to Kondagaon Police station in Bastar from Narayanpur District, where it had dropped off some Police personnel.

A 25-kilogram landmine laid under a key road by the Maoists in Bastar region was detected and defused by the Police. "A squad of the District force and the Paramilitary troopers spotted a landmine in Kanker District. The 25-kilogram landmine was laid to target the Police party,' Kanker SP Ajay Yadav said.

May 17: Five CRPF troopers, belonging to the 2nd battalion, were killed and two others injured in a landmine blast triggered by the CPI-Maoist cadres near Borguda village on National Highway 221, six kilometres away from Sukma town in Dantewada District. The CRPF convoy of three vehicles was returning from Kerlapal to the camp at Sukma when they were hit by landmine blast around 9:00 pm, killing five CRPF troopers and injuring two others, IG, Bastar, T. J. Langkumer, said.

In the District, several vehicles being used for road construction were set ablaze by the Maoists in Peedhapal. The vehicles that were set ablaze included two tractors, a roller, three water tanks and diesel pumps. Maoists also pasted posters near the vehicles calling for Bharat bandh on May 21-22. The posters criticised the recent arrest of three central committee members in Bihar. In an unsigned statement sent to a few media outlets in Chhattisgarh, the outfit said it would enforce the shutdown in Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, besides Chhattisgarh, in protest against arrest of its three senior leaders in Bihar.

A SPO was shot dead reportedly by a group of CPI-Maoist cadres in the Dantewada District. About a dozen Maoist cadres cornered SPO Koasalal Markam at a weekly market at Chintagarh village and shot him dead, Dantewada SP Ankit Garg said.

May 19: Two CRPF troopers who were injured in the landmine blast triggered by the CPI-Maoist cadres near Borguda village in the District on May 17, succumbed to the injuries.

Cadres of the CPI-Maoist shot dead a constable, Pawan Mandavi, and abducted a SPO, Ramaiyya, in a raid on a Salwa Judum camp in Cherpal village in Bijapur District of Chhattisgarh. A Maoist was also killed in retaliatory fire by the security personnel present there. The constable and SPO had gone to the camp to attend the wedding of a relative. Some weapons were recovered from the deceased Maoist.

May 21: Cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed a civilian, Kawasi Dev, mistaking him to be a Police officer in Dantewada District, the first day of the two day bandh called by the CPI-Maoist.

The body of Ramaiya, an SPO who was abducted by Maoists from Cherpal village in Bijapur District on May 18, was found thrown on the road.

Maoists set on fire a mixture machine and a truck in Balud village in Dantewada District.

Police and para-military forces recovered two 50-kilogramme landmines buried by the Maoists in a forested road at Ponjer Nala in Bijapur District.

Normal life was affected in the State due to the bandh called by the Maoists. "The only passenger train that runs in Dantewada District has been suspended for the time being, even though goods trains are running as usual. In order to disrupt the rail traffic, Naxals also ruptured the rail tracks at some points, which were detected and restored," said Ankit Garg, the SP of Dantewada District. Police officials said that while traffic movement in urban parts of Dantewada District was smooth, disturbances have been reported from interior areas.

In Bastar, markets remained closed and at some places, Maoists felled trees on the roads, said the Police.

A Maoist, identified as Ravi alias Ganeshu, who was a 'commander' and member of the Rajnandgaon District's Area Committee surrendered to the Police.

May 24: Chhattisgarh Planning Commission has allotted INR one billion for the Integrated Action Plan of Maoist-affected areas. The plan covers Bastar, Bijapur, South Bastar (Dantewada), Jashpur, North Bastar (Kanker), Kabir Dham, Korea, Narayanpur, Rajnandgaon and Sarguja areas in the State. Under the plan, 18,969 projects have been approved of. Out of these, 2,109 projects have been completed, 16,659 are in progress while 18,768 projects have been implemented.

May 25: Chhattisgarh Police said the lone Policeman, who had been missing since the CPI-Maoist ambush in Sunabeda forest in Nuapada District on May 23 was apparently safe, and he had contacted his family. Top officials said that as per the primary investigation, 'Military' unit of Maoists, which operates in Mainpur area of the State, as well as in the neighbouring Odisha, was involved in the ambush.

May 26: Chhattisgarh and Odisha Police decided to join hands against the growth of CPI-Maoist in the area bordering the two States. State Police plan to organise a meet with Odisha Police to discuss the course of action and mechanism to tackle the Maoists in the region. Police administration plans to concentrate on Amamora and Chipri plateau regions.

May 28: The CPI-Maoist-hit areas in the State will soon have ITI and Skills Development Centres. Chief Minister Raman Singh had demanded the seven ITIs. The Central Government has now approved of the institutions in the State. At least INR 309.8 million will be spent on the project of building these centres across the State.

May 29: Shiba Sahu alias Urmila, a CPI-Maoist woman cadre of 'deputy commander' rank surrendered before the Police in Rajnandgaon District. Urmila joined the outfit in 2005 and was a language trainer and paramedical expert. Urmila was presently working with the Korchi dalam. Chhattisgarh Police had arrested her husband Subhas alias Ayatu, arrested in 2007, too was a 'deputy commander'. She was serving in North Gadchiroli region before surrendering.

May 30: A week after nine Chhattisgarh Policemen were killed in a CPI-Maoist ambush in Sunabeda forest, just 14 kilometres away from Chhattisgarh border in Nuapada District of Odisha, the sole missing Policeman of the 10-member team, Holaram Sahu, surfaced safe and alive, near Dhavalpur village in Chhattisgarh, about 35 kilometres from the ambush site.

May 31: Holaram Sahu, the Policeman who went missing after CPI-Maoist ambush in Sunabeda forest in Odisha and surfaced safe and alive on May 30, was held captive and tortured by the Maoists for nearly three days before managing to escape, Police said.

The Supreme Court granted bail to alleged Maoist sympathiser Piyush Guha wondering whether a call for a revolution to reform society could be treated as an offence. "A large number of material and news come to us. Similarly, such material comes to you and this person also. If that is his ideology and he says revolution is the only way to reform society, can we say that is an offence?" a vacation bench of justices G S Singhvi and C K Prasad said.

The Army has entered into the CPI-Maoist-infested region of Chhattisgarh. This entry, however, is not intended at any combat but for training commandos in the jungle warfare. Around 500 troopers and officials of the Indian Army, reached Raipur from the central command headquarters of Lucknow. They later moved in separate teams to Bastar where the Army is setting up a special training centre in Abujhmad. The Chhattisgarh government has provided 750 square kilometres of land in Abujhmad in Narayanpur District for the camp.

June 2: Five to six CPI-Maoist cadres fired in a weekly marketplace in Tongpal village in Dantewada District, killing Constable Budharuram Poyam of Tongpal Police Station and severely injuring constable Rakesh Bhaskar.

June 6: Two cadres of the CPI-Maoist were reportedly killed in a gun battle with Police in a forest area in near Narayanpur. Police said they also seized two 9mm pistols, .315 bore locally made pistol, explosives and Maoist literature after the gun battle.

A 'deputy commander' of Bhopalpatnam Guerrilla Squad of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Ramesh, was killed in an encounter with the Police at Dampaya village in Bijapur District, Police said. Inspector General of Police of Bijapur B. P. S. Rajbhanu said the gun battle ensued when Policemen of Madded Police Station who were going around in the forest area were fired upon by the Maoists. The exchange of fire went on for over an hour before other Maoists escaped. Police also recovered a rifle and 25 live cartridges from the encounter site.

June 7: Despite decline in CPI-Maoist related violence in many areas of the country, situation in some parts of Chhattisgarh remained unchanged, CRPF DG K Vijay Kumar said. "Some parts of Chhattisgarh, particularly its southern region, need attention," Vijay Kumar told reporters after meeting Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Stating that the Districts like Bastar, Dantewada and some other adjoining areas witness violence, the CRPF DG said, "things are much better than in the previous years." "We are taking steps on how to improve situation in these areas," he added. Replying to a question, the CRPF DG said "deployment of force was being made keeping in view the situation and it is dynamic." On the recent spate of surrenders by top Maoists in Odisha and some other parts of the country, the CRPF DG said, "It is a good sign. We do not believe only in killing. Surrenders and arrests are also important," he said. Stating that surrender indicated some change in the mindset of the other side (Maoists), he said this also proved maturity of the administration.

June 9: The CPI-Maoist cadres opened indiscriminate fire near the camp of Chhattisgarh Armed Force in Narayanpur District, killing four troopers and leaving another injured. Some troopers of the force were involved in their regular chores near the camp of the 16th battalion of the Force in Bharaghati village when the Maoists started firing at them killing four troopers and leaving another injured, Ram Niwas, ADG anti-Maoist operations said. The Maoists also decamped with two weapons of the troopers, the senior officer said.

June 10: The CPI-Maoist cadres blew up an anti-landmine vehicle, killing 10 SF personnel - seven SPOs and three police constables - and injuring three others at bridge near Gatan village in Katekalyan area in Dantewada District. The anti-landmine vehicle of the SFs was approaching a bridge near Gatan village near Katekalyan when the Maoists triggered a powerful blast and opened indiscriminate fire on the personnel who came out of the badly damaged vehicle, Police said.

The Chhattisgarh Armed Force trooper who was injured in the June 9 Maoist attack in Narayanpur District succumbed to his injuries taking the death toll to five.

June 11: Three CRPF personnel were killed when a group of 250 cadres of the CPI-Maoist attacked the CRPF camp at Bhejji village in Dantewada District. ADGP Ram Niwas claimed 10 Maoists were killed in the encounter, but their bodies were taken away by the Maoists.

June 12: The CPI-Maoist claimed responsibility for the recent attacks at Narayanpur and Dantewada Districts in which 18 Police personnel were killed, and threatened to continue similar attacks if the Government does not stop 'brutal repression' of common people. The statement was issued by the CPI-Maoist Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee.

June 13: A gunbattle broke out at Bhejji Police Station in Dantewada District when CPI-Maoist cadres opened fire at the Police Station and the Policemen retaliated. However, no casualty was reported, Police said.

A man, identified as Abul Qayyum Khan (41) was arrested and about 80 kg ammonium nitrate and 229 detonator sticks were seized from him in Mahasamund District of Chhattisgarh, Police said. Officials at Police headquarters here said they were probing if the seized explosives were meant for the Maoists.

June 14: The Police in Chhattisgarh recovered a 25 kilograms bomb planted by the cadres of the CPI-Maoist under a culvert in a forested area, some 200 km south of Raipur in Kanker District, to target a Police convoy scheduled to pass over it later in the day. Officials at Police Headquarters here said that a Police search squad detected the bomb and defused it immediately.

IB reports have claimed that Maoists in the region are planning to attack the Army officials training in the forests near Abujhmad.

Defence Minister A.K. Antony said Army units near the CPI-Maoist areas of Chhattisgarh would only be in training and not deployed for operations. "It (Chhattisgarh) is not enemy territory," he said, when asked what role was envisaged for the army that this month sent two units near a suspected Maoist base in Abujhmad area. "The army is training in many States… because they want to have a feel of all kinds of terrain - deserts, mountains and plains. They are now establishing a new training unit there," he said.

The Centre will send an additional 5,000 central paramilitary personnel to Odisha and Chhattisgarh in the next couple of weeks to carry out joint operations, specifically along the inter-State borders. The two States expressed the need to step up joint operations in a meeting chaired by Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram and attended by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh in New Delhi. The central forces will conduct operations jointly with Police of these States. Chhattisgarh has over 12,600 paramilitary personnel compared to over 7,200 personnel in Odisha. These personnel are drawn from CRPF, BSF and ITBP.

After the meeting, Chidambaram said, "We have made very clear that no operation will be conducted without the complements of State Police. Earlier practice has been completely discontinued since a year-and-a-half. Now, all operations are conducted by the paramilitary forces with the complements of state police. All operations are now joint operations." Raman Singh too agreed. Addressing a joint press conference with Chidambaram and Patnaik, he said, "Central forces cannot do it alone. State Police has to be there. It is not right to say that the casualties are only from paramilitary forces. Whoever comes under fire, they face the casualty. So, joint operation has to be there." Asked about the activities of Naxals along the inter-state borders, Singh said Chhattisgarh had 4,000 kilometres borders with Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha and it was practically impossible to check the movement of Maoists in these areas. "We can't stop them fully. Movement keeps going on. We have decided to augment our strength and operations will be intensified," he said.

Chidambaram earlier said violence and the number of casualties had been reduced considerably in areas falling under 270 Police Stations in 64 Districts in eight States. "Up to June 14, there have been 811 incidents (1,025 last year) resulting in 270 deaths (473 last year). Of the 270 persons who were killed, 190 were civilians (296 last year) and 80 personnel of the security forces (177 last year)," he said. He said CPI-Maoist and other left-wing extremist groups continued to target civilians and kill them after branding them as 'Police informers' and of the 190 civilians killed this year, 72 were branded as Police informers. Chidambaram said these extremist groups also continued to target infrastructure and businesses and this year there were 13 attacks on railway property, 18 telephone exchanges and towers were attacked, four panchayat bhavans and 12 school buildings were destroyed and 82 roads and culverts were also damaged. Statistics, released by the Home Ministry, showed there were 125 encounters between Security Forces and extremists and 78 extremists were killed. Besides, 883 extremists were arrested, 243 surrendered and 315 arms were recovered this year.

Some 30 cadres of the CPI-Maoist raided Chhotebedma village under Kuakonda Police Station in Dantewada District and shot at Mudararam Sodhi (65), a worker of CPI and the elder brother of former MLA Nandram Sodhi, alleging him to be a Police informer.

Maoists triggered a landmine blast between Palnar and Kuakonda seriously injuring two troopers of CRPF's 111th battalion, when CRPF and Police personnel were returning after an investigation on receiving information about the raid incident in Chhotebedma village.

June 16: The CPI-Maoist cadres abducted 100 tribals from Duppatota village under Dornapal Police limits in Dantewada District. Over 150 rifle-carrying Maoists marched villagers into the forest after threatening their family members against following. The Andhra Pradesh Police has intensified their combing operations on the Andhra-Chhattisgarh border.

June 20: Two CPI-Maoist cadres were killed in a 90-minute gunbattle between the search squad of the State Police and 40 Maoist cadres in the forest region of Sitapur area in Bijapur District. The Police said the gun battle began when the search squad of CAF, SPOs, and District Force was attacked by armed Maoists. The troopers returned fire and two Maoists were killed. The bodies have also been recovered, Police officials added. The Police have recovered some explosives, an AK-47 and Maoist literature from the site. Bijapur SP Rajendra Narayan Das said the Police suspected those killed to be from Andhra Pradesh. One of the two CPI-Maoist leaders has been identified as Sridhar alias Santosh. The 40-year-old 'commander' had been working for Maoist Dalams for more than 20 years in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Chhattisgarh. He was earlier spotted on motorcycle along with pistol in the region.

A report said Maoists abducted three villagers identified as Poonam Doga (55), Hemla Gudia (50) and Semal Laxman (40) from Nayapara Relief Camp near the Raipur District Headquarters. They also said the villagers did not report the incident to Police and are searching on their own. "The report about civilian's kidnapping [abduction] has not been confirmed. I am trying to ascertain the news with local Police," the official at the Police Headquarters said.

June 23: The Chhattisgarh Government will set up an armed battalion of women to deal with the law and order situation on the field and deploy it in the Naxal-infested areas if needed. "Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh has given in-principle nod for formation of the women battalion. The battalion will, however, not be used in anti-Naxal combat operations," said N. K. Aswal, Chief Secretary of Home Department in Raipur.

Villagers in Senguda village in Lorami area of Bilaspur District surrounded two CPI-Maoist cadres and handed them over to Police on June 24. The Maoists were in uniform and had gone to the village for the collection of levy.

June 26: The CPI-Maoist cadres blew up a Police vehicle with a landmine and ambushed BSF personnel, killing five SF troopers in two separate attacks in Dantewada and Kanker Districts. The Maoists blew up an SUV near Kirandul in Dantewada District, 6 kilometres from Raipur, killing three Policemen and injuring three others, said Ramnivas, the ADG (Naxalite operations). One Policeman is missing.

A patrolling team of the BSF and the Police was ambushed by around 150 Maoists, Kanker SP, Rahul Bhagat, said, adding that two BSF troopers were killed on the spot in Kanker District. One Maoist was killed in retaliatory firing, Bhagat added.

June 27: Chhattisgarh ADGP (Naxal Operation) Ramniwas said that the number of victims in the landmine blast triggered by the CPI-Maoist on June 26, in which a Police vehicle was blown up at Kirandul and Palnar in Dantewada District, has gone up to four. In addition to the fatalities, four persons, including three policemen, are undergoing medical treatment at a hospital presently, they said.

At least seven live bombs planted by the Maoists were found by a joint search team of the BSF and the Chhattisgarh Police in Kanker District.

Rejecting President Pratibha Patil's call for peace talks, Maoists announced a 'protest week' from July 4 in Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra and on the Andhra-Odisha Border (AOB), demanding immediate scrapping of the Army training school being set up in the foothills of Abujmarh in Bastar. In two separate statements issued on June 26, CPI-Maoist central committee spokesman Abhay said the President's call to Maoists to come forward for peace talks came at a time when a battalion-strong Army have already been sent in with the intention to involve them in the so-called operation green hunt. Such a proposal for talks comes when Governments and corporates have entered into MOUs to exploit vast mineral wealth in the region and security forces are unleashing terror and committing atrocities on the poor in tribal areas," he alleged, adding that Maoist leader Azad ? who had initiated a process for peace talks with the Government ? was killed in a fake encounter. Maoists appealed to the people to impress upon the President to call off ongoing operations and withdraw the paramilitary forces from the tribal areas. They also want the Army training centre scrapped, as well as all MOUs and the land acquisition process. "If the governments accept these demands, Maoists will stop the counter violence," the Maoist spokesman said.

June 28: A team of Raipur Police and STF demolished a temporary camp of the CPI-Maoist near Raigarh District. No Maoist could be arrested but a huge quantity of food supply, bombs, explosives and Maoist literature were seized from the camp. Police said around 30 to 40 Maoists had stayed in the region for 3-4 weeks.

June 30: People in Naxal-affected Bastar Region are happy over arrival of Army personnel for training, said Lieutenant General V. K. Ahluwalia, General Officer Commanding (Central Command). The Army will soon start welfare activities for the local residents. They will, among other things, undertake cleaning of lakes and help in education of children, he said. To a question, Ahluwalia said it has already been clarified that Army has entered into the Maoist territory only for "jungle warfare training and not for anti-Naxal operation". An Army contingent arrived in Bastar a few weeks ago for jungle warfare training.

A cadre of the CPI-Maoist was killed and another was arrested after Maoists ambushed a joint team of SFs near Puhimal village under Mainpur station limits in Gariaband Police District, a senior Police officer said. The Police recovered the body of the slain Maoist, who is yet to be identified, and four rifles from the encounter site.

July 3: CPI-Maoist cadres damaged the entire 23-kilometres stretch of landmine resistant road from Bijapur to Gangalur in south Bastar, nearly a year-and-half after it was opened to public. The road, considered a vital link in the proposed Maoist corridor between Andhra Pradesh to south Bastar through Bijapur District, has been re-laid by making it landmine blast resistant after security personnel secured the route from the Maoists nearly three-years-ago. The newly-built road was opened to public in January 2010. "The entire stretch of road was damaged by the rebels, who dug out the road at every 100 metre. As result of this, the movement of security forces in the area would severely be hit," Bijapur District SP, R.N. Das, said.

July 5: A 'protest week' called by the CPI-Maoist, beginning on July 4 in the State hit normal life in many Districts. No violence was reported from anywhere in the State till late in the day, but it had massive impact on normal life in at least 10 of the State's 18 Districts.

The Supreme Court declared illegal and unconstitutional the deployment of tribal youth as SPOs- either as 'Koya Commandos', Salwa Judum or any other force - in the fight against the Maoist insurgency, and ordered their immediate disarming. The Bench said: "The State of Chhattisgarh shall forthwith make every effort to recall all firearms issued to any of the SPOs, whether current or former, along with any and all accoutrements and accessories issued to use such firearms. The word firearm as used shall include any and all forms of guns, rifles, launchers, etc, of whatever calibre."

The court also directed the Centre and the State to provide appropriate security forthwith, and undertake such measures "as are necessary and within bounds of constitutional permissibility, to protect the lives of those who had been employed as SPOs previously, or who had been given any initial orders of selection or appointment, from any and all forces, including but not limited to Maoists/Naxalites."

Not satisfied with a probe ordered by the Chhattisgarh Government, the Supreme Court directed the CBI to immediately take over the investigation into the incidents of violence that occurred in March in Morpalli, Tadmetla and Timapuram villages in Dantewada District or its neighbouring areas. The Court also asked the CBI to probe the incidents of violence alleged to have been committed against Swami Agnivesh and his companions in March when they went to provide humanitarian aid to victims of violence in these villages.

July 6: A woman Maoist cadre was killed in an encounter with the SF personnel in Balrampur Police District. The encounter took place in the forests of Navadih village under Chando Police limits when a group of Maoists opened indiscriminate firing on the team of Joint Police Force, during a routine patrol, SP N K Khare said. The deceased, identified as Meena Khalko (18) from Karpa Mutki village, was killed in retaliatory fire, the SP said. Some weapons and Maoists literature was also recovered from her, Khare added.

The Police claimed to have injured a few Maoists in an encounter in Raigarh District. SP Rahul Sharma said a group of around 30 Maoists attacked a Police team which was conducting a combing operation near Pardhiyapali village. Police returned the fire, and the Maoists, outnumbered, escaped towards neighbouring Mahasamund District, Sharma added. The Police recovered one SLR rifle and 19 live rounds from the incident site.

July 7: The CPI-Maoist promised to 'rehabilitate' and resettle all SPOs in Chhattisgarh who sever all connections with the State machinery and return to their villages, according to a signed press release. The press release was issued in the backdrop of Supreme Court's judgement on July 5 in which Justices B. Sudershan Reddy and Surinder Singh Nijjar ruled that the use of armed SPOs in anti-Maoist operations was unconstitutional and must cease immediately. In the press release, signed by Maoist spokesperson Gudsa Usendi, the rebels sought "to make it clear to all the SPOs that this war is not between them and us. This war is being fought between a small minority of exploiters and the entire toiling masses of this country." The Maoists also stated that many SPOs were coerced into joining the Salwa Judum and assisting the police, and offered "to rehabilitate all those SPOs who come back to their villages, accept all the crimes they have committed and seek the mercy of the people while severing all kinds of connections with the government machinery." The party says it is ready to provide SPOs with lands, instruments of and guaranteed livelihoods.

July 8: Some pamphlets in broken Hindi, scribbled in blue and red ink, were found three kilometres from Dornapal, an area of the CPI-Maoist, in Dantewada District, naming a dozen SPOs as "enemies" of the people, and threatening that PLGA, military wing of the CPI-Maoist will get them. "These are routine pamphlets. The Maoists regularly threaten to kill SPOs," Dantewada SP, Ankit Garg, said. He said the pamphlets should not be connected to the Supreme Court order. While the pamphlets had been signed off as a note from South Bastar Divisional Committee, their authorship could not be authenticated.

July 10: The Police arrested a CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Raghunath, in Jashpur District. Raghunath was arrested during a search operation launched by the State Police and Crime Branch. Raghunath said he was forcibly engaged in the group and never wanted to get involved in such kind of 'unlawful activities'.

Chief Minister Raman Singh said his Government has decided to file a review petition on the Supreme Court order of disbanding of SPOs. He said Chhattisgarh was not the only State with SPOs. There are 40,000 SPOs in six States and Chhattisgarh has around 5,000 SPOs. The way the role of SPOs has been curtailed has serious repercussions for all the States. Raman further said Salwa Judum was a peace movement started by the people of Bastar and not of his Government, rather a movement by people who stood up against Naxalism in a very Gandhian way.

DGP Vishwaranjan Singh said that the Police would ensure security to the locals who had volunteered to be a part of the Salwa Judum. "We don't think there is any confusion in the matter because the Supreme Court has granted six weeks time and in six weeks we might follow their order. Or if the government wants to give in review petition then it would. But, there is no confusion. About the security, the SPOs are not being dismissed from the posts. Supreme Court has only said that SPO should not be deployed to fight against Maoists. We would be providing them security in the camp where they would be living in," said Singh.

July 12: Six cadres of the CPI-Maoist were arrested in a combing operation by the Police from Dhaudai area in Narayanpur District. The Maoist cadres had been kept in Narayanpur Police Station, however two of them escaped in the night of July 13. Later, ten Police personnel had been suspended for the negligence and the Police had launched man-hunt for the escaped Maoists.

July 16: The CPI-Maoist cadres attacked the house of one Mukesh Kaved, a SPO, and killed his mother in Kalanur village in Narayanpur District. The Maoists killed Punki Bai Kaved, the mother of Kaved while his father Rup Ji Kaved, was hanged on a tree but somehow survived.

July 18: The newly appointed DGP, Anil Navaney, speaking to the media persons in Raipur District said that Naxalism is the biggest challenge before the State and that the strategy adopted by the Police to tackle it would be reviewed from time to time. "The campaign against the Naxalites will continue and police have an efficient strategy in place to combat that menace. However, depending upon the situation, this strategy will be reviewed whenever required," he said. "Chhattisgarh's relations with the neighbouring states in tackling Naxalism are good. Information is regularly being exchanged between the states on this issue. The communication between police force and the central forces is also good," Navaney added.

July 20: CPI-Maoist blew up a bridge at Udanti near Devbhog, about 175 kilometres east of Raipur District, killing eight Congress Party workers. Talking to reporters from Mainpur Police Station, State Congress President Nand Kumar Patel said, "We lost eight of our men and at least five were injured. No preventive measures were taken, despite the administration being informed three days ago about the event." However, Additional DGP (anti-Maoist operation) Ram Niwas said, "All the Congress leaders were unharmed. Four were killed and four persons who sustained serious injuries were rushed to the hospital." Patel and other party leaders were returning from a Kisan Sammelan held in Durwagudi, a village in Devbhog block, on the border with Odisha, when the convoy was attacked by the Maoists.

CM Raman Singh said that an Army base coming up at Bastar in no way mean that Army man will be deployed against the Naxals in the region. He said Army personnel will impart training to State Police troopers. The State Government is also working out on a proposal to train more SPO to take on the Maoists.

July 21: The Police arrested 16 cadres of the CPI-Maoist during a combing operation in Dhoundai area in Narayanpur District. The arrestees were wanted in connection with the killing of 27 personnel of the CRPF in June 2010. Loaded pistols and Maoist uniforms have been recovered from them, SP Mayank Srivastav said.

A Maoist cadre, identified as Arun Tirkey, was arrested by the Police from Jashpur District. Police recovered a revolver, six detonators, three 7.62 SLR round and a mobile phone from his possession. Tirkey used to operate from the rural areas of Jharkhand and extorted money from village heads and landlords, ASP, J R Thakur, said. "Members of Jharkhand Liberation Tigers had formed a separate group and were operating in the rural regions like Bhalwanda, Pauni and Meral and they used to extort money from the village heads and landlords," Thakur added.

July 22: In two separate incidents, the cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed two persons including a SPO in Bastar region. Armed Maoist cadres reached Ganjinar village under Bhansi Police Station and killed Laxman Markam brother of Munna Markam of Nakulnar Janpad Panchayat, Dantewada SP Ankit Garg said.

The Maoists killed Subba Satyam, a SPO in Madded village in Bijapur District. Subba had gone out to buy things from the market, where a group of five Maoists reached and attacked him with an axe. They ran away after the killing, ASP BPS Rajbhanu said.

The Chhattisgarh Government lowered the educational qualifications for Adivasi youth to recruit them in the regular Police Force and Armed Force. The State cabinet passed the order that education up to Class V will make applicants eligible for constabulary; the earlier requirement was clearing Class X. The announcement comes weeks after the Supreme Court order led to the disarming of SPOs - nearly 5,000 tribal men hired on a temporary basis on less than one-third the salary of a constable and deployed in anti-Maoist operations. The court said they were being used as "canon fodder in the killing fields of Dantewada". CM Raman Singh said, "Eighty percent of the SPOs will become constables. For the remaining 20% we would try and get them to clear through open school."

July 24: Two CPI-Maoist leaders, in the rank of 'divisional commander', surrendered before Bijapur Police. Bijapur SP R. N. Das said the Maoist leaders, who had joined the outfit in 2005, were involved in major operations against security personnel including in the attack on CRPF personnel at Tadmetla in Dantewada District on April 6, 2010, in which 75 CRPF troopers and one Policeman were killed.

A Heron - an Israeli-made unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that looks like the water-bird heron - will make its first flight on the first clear day between July 18-25, over the Abujhmad forests, and will later be joined by two more. The three Herons have been procured by the NTRO, which provides technical intelligence for Security operations. They will be operated from the ground by Air Force personnel.

A reported alert issued by CRPF says that Maoists have acquired expertise to trigger IED blast in air, posing serious challenge to Security personnel. The technique allows the Maoists to suspend the IED at a height of 4-5 ft on a tree and carry out the blast by a remote or through a wire at a distance of around 200 metres away. The Maoists have successfully tested the technique during their recent attacks on security personnel in Dantewada District, the CRPF report said. Chhattisgarh ADG of Police Ram Niwas said, "We are aware of the development. We are taking measures to counter the threat".

July 24: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed Uslu Jurri, village head of Cheeka village in Bijapur District. Reportedly, Jurri was killed when he went to deliver some commodities to the Maoists.

July 31: Eight CPI-Maoist cadres were arrested from Sulenga hills under the Dhaudai Police Station by the CRPF and Police. Two bombs, a detonator and some wires were recovered from them. They were involved in the killing of 27 troopers in the District last year and other criminal activities.

August 1: At least two Maoists were killed in a gun battle with the Police in Kesamundi forest of Bijapur District. Police did not suffer any casualties. Police recovered both bodies and two guns. The gun battle began when Maoists fired at a joint combing team of the DF, CAF and the STF.

The Dantewada Police busted an arms manufacturing unit and arrested four Maoists in separate operations. While three Maoists - Dilip and Nandalal - and their associate Ravindra Haldar were arrested from Sukma area of the District, the fourth one, Gangaraj, was arrested in another operation by Dantewada Police conducting a raid on an arms manufacturing unit of Maoists in Khammam District of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

The Chhattisgarh High Court asked lower courts to ensure that under-trials and their lawyers are protected from Police threats. The order comes after a lawyer filed a petition alleging that Police threatened to implicate him in a false case or kill him in an encounter for representing alleged Maoists.

August 3: A CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Mahadev Mandavi (35) surrendered before the Police in the Nagari- Sihava block of Dhamtari District.

August 4: Maoists killed three villagers and threw their bodies on road in separate incidents in Bijapur District in the night, suspecting them to be Police informers. The bodies were recovered from Gangaloor, Basaguda and Bhopalpatnam areas of the District.

An absconding Maoist, identified as Kanwar Singh Kumethi, was arrested in Dodka village of Raipur District.

The State Government is working on a comprehensive plan to tackle the Maoist menace in the State. According to reports, the Government is planning to launch massive anti-Maoist operation simultaneously in the dense forests of Bastar and Gariyaband.

August 6: An unidentified Maoist was killed while two CRPF personnel were injured in an exchange of fire at Neelavaram village under the Sukma Police Station in Dantewada District. Police recovered a loaded pistol and a locally-made revolver from the spot.

August 9: Acting on a SC directive, the CBI took over the probe into the alleged acts of violence against Swami Agnivesh and his team during their visit to Chhattisgarh in March, and CPI-Maoist attacks at Morpalli, Tadmetla and Timmapuram villages in Dantewada District prior to it. The CBI has registered five cases in this connection.

August 11: CPI-Maoist cadres killed an unidentified tribal in Bhopalpatnam area under Bijapur District, suspecting him to be a Police informer. The middle-aged tribal was kidnapped and hit on the head with a sharp edged weapon. His body was found dumped on National Highway 16 in Bijapur district, officials at Police headquarters stated. The Maoists left a letter near the body claiming that they killed him as he was spying for the local Police.

Villagers of Chikpal near Sukma in Dantewada have alleged that the killing of Madkami Massa, the sarpanch of Chikpal was picked up by CRPF personnel on August 5 and killed in cold blood. However, both CRPF and the District Police say Massa was a Maoist who was killed in an encounter on August 6, in Neelavaram forest near Sukma.

Terming Naxalism as the biggest challenge to democracy, CM Raman Singh suggested sealing of the inter-state borders in the affected areas and deployment of Special Forces which are properly armed there. Speaking at a discussion on Naxalism at the Constitution Club in New Delhi, Singh, however, stressed that the problem could only be solved through dialogue and continuous development of the affected areas. Stating that Naxalism has to end and there was "no way backwards" on this, the CM cautioned that one had to be prepared for a long-drawn battle to end the menace.

August 12: An active member of Platoon 25 of the CPI-Maoist and 'commander' of Raoghat area action team Rajesh Potai surrendered before Police in Kanker District, said District SP Rahul Bhagat. Potai also handed over weapons including a 315-bore rifle, 50 live cartridges, one SLR and a magazine, he added.

August 15: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh in his speech at State's main Independence Day function at the Police parade ground Raipur District termed the CPI-Maoist "inhuman" and said the State Government has launched a decisive drive against them. "Maoists are inhuman and anti-national, we have launched a decisive drive against these violent elements rather than shying away from fighting them," CM Singh said. "Maoists have posed a grave threat to country's internal security and the state government is not only successfully countering them but also exposing their conspiracies." In his 20-minute speech, CM Singh said: "I got courage to take on anti-national forces active in the state, mainly in the Bastar region, from the people of the forested areas where so many people have lost their family members to Maoist violence." The Chief Minister also presented a detail before a gathering of roughly 5,000 people how he was striving to unleash development in the poverty-hit but mineral-rich state that came into existence in November 2000. "I am doing my best to improve the people's life quality and build up infrastructure across the state and the results have started coming in. The per capita annual income in the state has gone up to Rs.44,000 from Rs.10,000 while per capita power consumption has risen to 1,400 units from just 300 units," CM Singh said.

CM Singh announced creation of nine new Districts that will come into effect from 2012. The CM announced new districts of Sukma, Kondagaon, Gariaband, Balaudabazar, Balod, Bamtera, Mungeli, Surajpur and Balrampur, thus taking the total number of administrative Districts in the State to 27.

One person identified as Beni Ghakad was killed by the Maoist cadres in Kumakoleng village under Tongpal Police Station in Dantewada District. The Kanger Ghati Area committee of CPI-Maoist left a note near the dead body accusing Beni of being a Police informer.

August 16: One STF head constable and four CPI-Maoist cadres were killed in an encounter between the Maoist cadres and the District Police along with the STF personnel at Ghodai Marg in Tirkanar forest area under Dhaudai Police Station in Narayanpur District. According to sources, few more STF personnel were reported to be injured. Narayanpur District SP Mayank Srivastav said that the bodies of the Maoists have been recovered and rural Police have been called in to identify the deceased.

August 19: A civilian and 11 Policeman were killed and three sustained injuries in an ambush set by the CPI-Maoist cadres in Metlaperu village forests under Bhadrakali Police Station area of Bijapur District. ADGP Ram Niwas said, "A force of about 70 had set out from Bhadrakali for operational and 'admin' [logistical] operations." Niwas also added that four or five Maoists were also killed.

August 24: Four CPI-Maoist cadres killed Bhima Ram Madkam, a Congress leader and Janpad member at his residence in Neelavaram village under Sukma block in Dantewada District. Madkam had come to his village to look after his agricultural lands when the Maoists killed him. Madkam was on the Maoist hit-list and due to a fear for his life, had been staying in the block headquarters Sukma.

August 25: CPI-Maoist cadres shot dead a grain trader and set ablaze his vehicle in Madanwada area in Rajnandgaon District when he was on his way to a local market. IG R K Veej said that the trader, Vineet Jain, was travelling with two teachers and a shoe seller to the weekly bazaar in Madanwada when his vehicle was intercepted by three Maoists, fatally shot Jain, set the vehicle ablaze and escaped into the forest.

The State is to set up 35 new Police Stations in forest areas dominated by Maoists. "They will come up in forested areas which are largely commanded by Maoists for about two decades," sources in the State home department said. The sources stated that a sum of INR 700 million is required for setting up the new Police Stations and the Central Government has agreed to fund 80 percent of the expenditure while the remaining 20 percent will be borne by the State Government.

Further, the State Government has given approval for air ambulances in the State.

August 30: The Ruias-led Essar Group denied the allegation of Wikileaks report released in August that it had paid 'protection money' to the CPI-Maoist to safeguard its operations in Chhattisgarh. A cable dated 11 January 2010 originating from the US consulate in Mumbai and released for public consumption on the whistle-blower website Wiki Leaks states: "Indian companies employ resources- and aggressive tactics-that raise questions about the motivations of the Maoists.

The Chhattisgarh Government ordered a judicial probe into the alleged staged shootout killing of Meena Khalko, a tribal teenaged girl branded as a CPI-Maoist cadre, by Policemen under Chando Police Station in Surguja District on July 6. "The single-member judicial commission will probe the killing and will submit the report within three months to the State Government," a statement of the Chhattisgarh Government said.

August 31: The CPI-Maoist cadres issued death threats on August 25, to Lakshmi Osare, a 12th class school girl and her family branding them as Police informer in Bhurke village under Kodekurse Police Station in Kanker District. Lakshmi was on her way to school when the Maoist cadres Gondsingh, Diwakar alias Kamlakar intercepted and threatened her.

September 5: The CPI-Maoist cadres attacked a CRPF camp, 18 kilometres from the Bijapur District headquarters, and set it ablaze. The whole structure of the camp was destroyed in the fire and the loss is estimated to be somewhere around INR 5 million. According to SP R N Das, the camp, which was nearing completion, was being set up to relocate the 85th Battalion after the Supreme Court ruled that SF personnel must vacate school buildings. However, no trooper was there at the camp when the incident took place.

September 8: Two months after the Supreme Court held that the deployment of SPOs in the fight against Naxalites was illegal, the Chhattisgarh Assembly passed an Act authorising an "auxiliary armed force" to "assist security forces in dealing with Maoist/Naxal violence" and legalising existing SPOs by inducting them as members. The Chhattisgarh Auxiliary Armed Police Force Act came into force with retrospective effect from July 5, the day the apex court passed its order.

September 10: The Chhattisgarh Police arrested two persons for allegedly channelling INR 1.5 million from the Essar industrial group to the CPI-Maoists. According to Dantewada SP Ankit Garg, on interrogation, one of the arrested persons, identified as B.K. Lala, said the money was from the Essar group and intended for the Maoists. Sources said that Lala worked as a contractor for Essar, carrying out odd jobs and renting excavation equipment to the company. The other arrested person, identified as Lingaram Kodopi, was collecting the money on behalf of the Maoists.

September 13: The BSF personnel recovered and defused a powerful IED planted by the CPI-Maoist cadres by the side of a busy road in Bhuski village in Kanker District averting any possible mishap. "The Improvised Explosive Device was kept in a steel container and was defused in good time before any vehicle could pass over it," a senior BSF officer said.

September 14: CPI-Maoist cadres killed a village sarpanch in Bijapur District. The body of G Surraiyya, the sarpanch of Potampalli, about 500 kilometres from Raipur, was found on a forest road. "Surraiyya was abducted by the Maoists on September 13 and killed with a sharp weapon. Initial reports say that he was killed as the Maoists suspected him of spying for the Police and local authorities," an official at the Police headquarters said.

September 16: A Chhattisgarh Armed Force Constable, P. C. Khalko, was killed when the cadres of the CPI-Maoist opened fire at a Police camp at Pamalwaya in Bijapur District. "Maoists carried out a flash attack at the Police camp Friday early hours. Khalko, who was on duty just outside the camp, received bullet injuries and died on the spot," officials at the Police headquarters said. The officials added that the troopers retaliated from inside the camp but the Maoists managed to escape along with Khalko's AK-47 rifle.

September 18: Shivnath Mandal, a CRPF trooper, was killed in a surprising attack by CPI-Maoist cadres on a 60-member CRPF contingent in Bijapur District. According to the Police headquarters in Raipur, the Maoists could have inflicted more casualties, but the CRPF men retaliated and forced the guerrillas to retreat for cover in the dense jungle.

September 21: CPI-Maoist cadres ambushed a Police search team returning from its patrol in the dense forests of Aamed, about 70 kilometres from Gariaband area in Raipur District. According to the Police spokesman, they knew about the return route of the Policemen. The Maoists opened fire on the Policemen when they turned up. Two Policemen were injured in the ambush. There is no report of any Maoist getting injured in the incident.

Alert was sounded across the State and extra para-military troopers deployed in forest areas as the CPI-Maoist began its weeklong foundation anniversary celebrations September 21 - 27, the Police said. "Forces have been relocated in areas vulnerable to attacks and civilians are cautioned while travelling on roads filled with landmines in the interiors of Bastar, Raipur and Rajnandgaon districts," an unnamed Police official said. Maoist banners and posters recovered by the Police from forested areas of Dantewada read that the outfit - founded September 21, 2004, with merger of the PWG and MCC, will host a series of cultural programmes at its hideouts in the forests of Bastar over the next seven days.

September 22: A Chhattisgarh Police team recovered a 25 kilogram "tiffin bomb" planted by the cadres of the CPI-Maoist by the roadside in a forested area in Raipur District. The bomb was planted to target the Policemen on patrol. "The bomb was recovered by a search squad of policemen who urgently defused it," an unnamed senior Police official said.

September 26: A search team of Para-military Forces and the Chhattisgarh Police recovered five bombs planted by the CPI-Maoist cadres on a forest road in Kanker District. "Tiffin bombs were kept on a jungle road in Koilibera area. The bombs were recovered by a search contingent of the BSF and the district force," an official at the Police headquarters said.

September 27: CPI-Maoist cadres blew up a portion of rail tracks near Bhansi railway station in Dantewada District, causing disruption in train services. The blasts on rail tracks came on the last day of the weeklong foundation anniversary celebrations by Maoists.

The Dantewada Police arrested D.V.C.S. Verma, Essar group's General Manager for Kirandul, as part of an ongoing investigation into allegations of the company routinely paying the Maoists significant sums of money to operate in Maoist-controlled territory. "Mr. Verma was arrested on the basis of information provided by B.K. Lala," SP Ankit Garg, said adding, "He will be in police remand for two days."

September 30: The Police arrested a woman CPI-Maoist cadre in Bijapur District. The woman cadre had been staying near the District Headquarters to get information on the movements and strategies of the administration. She had been pretending to be one among the poor people that reside in the panchayat bhawan and used to give the information on Police movements to the Maoists. The Police are yet to identify her.

October 3: The Chhattisgarh Police raided the residence of Jaipur-based human rights activist, Kavita Srivastava, general secretary of the PUCL, Rajasthan, in search of an absconding CPI-Maoist cadre, Soni Sori from that State.

October 5: A local Congress leader, President of block Congress committee Mehta Kumar Kaushik (64), was shot dead by suspected Maoist cadres in Door Mohla town in Rajnandgaon District.

The Maoists assaulted an alleged Police informer at Raoghat in Kakedar and robbed his house. According to eyewitnesses, around 40-50 Maoists attacked the 'informer' and intimidated the villagers to face consequences if they go to Police.

October 6: CPI-Maoist cadres killed a villager branding him as an alleged Police informer and dumped his body in a crowded market place at Bheeragaon in Bhanupratappur area in Kanker District. The victim was abducted on October 1, five days before he was found murdered.

October 7: Three troopers of the SSB were killed, and another seriously injured, when a powerful IED exploded under their vehicle near Geedam on National Highway 16 in Dantewada District. "The SSB jawans were travelling in a Tata 407 [light truck] as part of a convoy of 11 vehicles headed from Dantewada to Jagdalpur," said DIG Vivekananda Sinha at a press conference in the State capital, Raipur. The Police believe that the IED was detonated by the Maoists.

October 11: CPI-Maoist cadre was killed in an encounter near Chinari village forests in Narayanpur District. The encounter started when a group of Maoists opened indiscriminate firing on a joint patrol team of the CRPF and State Police Force, drawing retaliation from the security men, Narayanpur SP, Mayank Shrivastava said. The body of the slain Maoist was recovered and was identified as Negi Rawat. Rawat carried a reward of INR 5, 000 on his head and many cases, including murder and attack on Police teams, were registered against him in the District. Some weapons and Naxal literature was also recovered from the spot, the Police said.

CPI-Maoist cadres stormed into the residence of a BJP MLA Damrudhar Pujari in Munagapdar village in Gariaband District snatched a weapon from his security guard and left the place without causing any harm, a Police officer said.

October 15: Five CPI-Maoist cadres, two of whom carrying reward on their heads, were arrested during a routine patrolling in the forest near Guttapal village in Narayanpur District. The arrested cadres were alleged to be members of Madenar Dalam (squad). One identified as Laxman was carrying a reward of INR 20,000 while the other identified as Aitu was carrying a reward of INR 17,000. The names of other three Maoists arrested were given as Rasul Darro, Phul Simh and Somnath. The Narayanpur Superintendent of Police Mayank Srivastava informed that the Police seized a rifle and live cartridges from them. They were wanted in various cases including killings and attempt to kill, he added.

October 20: The Maoists attacked a forest guesthouse in the village and tied up the forest guards in their quarters and also looted a ration shop, Dangi said. The Police team had gone there to visit the incident site and was ambushed while returning.

October 21: Six Policemen were killed and five others injured in a landmine blast and ambush by the CPI-Maoist cadres in Bastar District. The 16-member Police team was on its way to Netanar village, when it came under attack, ADG, Naxal operation Ramniwas said. A large group of Maoists set off an IED blast and opened fire on the Policemen, who were riding on eight motorcycles, as they approached the village. Six Policemen, including a Police Inspector, were killed on the spot and five others were injured in the attack, Bastar SP Ratanlal Dangi said. He added that at least three Maoists were suspected to have been killed in retaliatory firing by the Police.

October 22: Several Police squads sneaked into the forested parts of Bastar District in a bid to apprehend Maoists, a day after CPI-Maoist cadres killed six Policemen in an ambush. "Several District Force (DF) squads are combing forested parts at Netanar village and nearby areas to arrest Maoists who engineered the deadly ambush," said ADGP, Ramniwas.

October 28: The CPI-Maoist opposed foundation anniversary of the State to be celebrated November 1 and asked the people in its strongholds to stay away from the function. Several pamphlets in this regard were found on Narayanpur-Sonpur road in Narayanpur District.

October 31: The Maoists shot at and critically injured two Policemen who were on their way to guard a Salwa Judum camp under Konta Police Station in Dantewada District.

November 6: SF's destroyed a Maoist memorial in Khunera forest under Om Chowki Police Station in Rajnandgaon District.

November 13: In a joint operation Gadchiroli (Maharashtra) and Rajnandgaon District Police seized a huge cache of arms and ammunition and some other materials belonging to the CPI-Maoist in Rajnandgaon District. The cache included three 12-bore rifles, two carbine rifles, a total of 1,100 bullets, including 940 live cartridges of .303 rifles, six clamour mines, 11 hand-grenades, I78 gelatine rods, 32 detonators, wireless set, walky-talky, two charges . Apart from this, a huge stock of urea, a large number of pittus (back packs) used by Maoists, ground sheets and literature were recovered.

November 16: Two troopers of the CISF were killed as CPI-Maoist cadres attacked the mining facility of NMDC in Dantewada District. Only two troopers were present in the post when the incident took place and the Maoists carried away their weapons after killing them.

November 18: The Supreme Court lifted its July 5 ban on central funding of anti-naxal and anti-insurgency operations through SPOs in all States except Chhattisgarh. On July 5, a bench of Justices B Sudershan Reddy, since retired, and SS Nijjar had clamped a complete ban on central funding, which accounted for a major chunk of the budget for anti-naxalite and anti-insurgency operations in many states on a petition filed by Nandini Sundar alleging illegal recruitment of tribal youth as SPOs in Chhattisgarh and large-scale illegalities committed by them.

On an application moved by the MHA, a bench of Justices Altamas Kabir and SS Nijjar clarified that the July 5 judgment would operate only in Chhattisgarh.

During the arguments on Nandini Sundar's petition, the Raman Singh Government had clarified that SPOs, whose salary budget is borne mainly by the central government (80%), were not peculiar to Chhattisgarh. If there were 6,500 SPOs in Chhattisgarh, their number in Jharkhand was 6,400, Bihar 6,353, Orissa 4,480, Andhra Pradesh 2,130 and Maharashtra 1,500, it had said.

November 21: As part of making adequate security arrangement in the mines operated by NMDC, the high-rise posts for keeping vigil in the mining site will be made bullet-proof, an NMDC official said. The decision was taken in wake of CPI-Maoist cadres killing two CISF troopers on November 16.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh said that guns alone cannot be the solution for the Maoist problem. "Our geographical location is such that we are in the centre of two major Naxal corridors -- east to west and north to south -- which pass through our state. If we block it, the Naxal movement will break down in all the affected states -- Odisha, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand and West Bengal," Raman Singh said.

November 22: The Chhattisgarh Police have registered a case and arrested four persons following allegations of payment of money by industrial house Essar to the CPI-Maoist, the Lok Sabha was informed. The Union Minister of State for Home, Jitendra Singh, said the Left Wing Extremist groups, particularly the CPI - Maoists resort to extortion through coercive means from a variety of sources including contractors, businessmen, industries etc. "In Chhattisgarh, allegations of payment of money by an industrial house, namely Essar, to the CPI-Maoists through a facilitator, in response to their extortion demands have come to notice in the current year," he said in a written reply.

November 23: A division bench of the Chhattisgarh High Court dismissed the bail petition of CPI-Maoist ideologue, Narayan Sanyal. He is serving a life-term on charges of sedition and colluding with Maoists to establish a network to fight the State. The Honourable judges struck down Sanyal's petition after the State Government opposed it, saying the bail cannot be granted since the High Court had earlier rejected a similar request by PUCL leader, Binayak Sen.

December 3: A 50 kilogram bomb planted by the CPI-Maoist was recovered by a patrolling team of the Chhattisgarh Police on a road in a forest pocket of Bijapur District.

December 4: Normal life was hit as vehicles went off the roads and people remained indoors in fear as the Maoist-called two-day shutdown to protest the killing of their top leader Mallojula Koteshwara Rao alias Kishanji.

December 6: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist blew up a bridge on National Highway Number 30 that connects the Bastar region to the State capital, by triggering a powerful landmine blast. The bridge is at Kondagaon on National Highway Number 30 in Bastar District, around 210 kilometres south of Raipur. "It was a massive blast that ripped through the bridge. The traffic on the key national highway, Number 30, was blocked for hours after the blast but was resumed later," Bastar's SP Ratanlal Dangi said.

December 8: An IED suspected to have been planted by CPI-Maoist cadres was recovered by ITBP personnel in the course of an anti-Maoist operation in Rajnandgaon District. The IED weighing eight kilograms was found lying three feet beneath the soil near a culvert in Hidder village in the District.

December 10: Around two dozen armed cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed Shyamlal Netam (30), suspecting him to be Police informer, in Paralkot area in Kanker District. Netam worked on farmlands and used to take tuition classes for last one year, the Police said.

December 16: The Chhattisgarh Government said that Essar Group had handed over INR 1.5 million to a local contractor in the State to pass on to CPI-Maoist cadres. "As per the first information report (FIR), Rs.15 lakh amount was provided from Essar company side to a contractor, B.K. Lala on Sep 9 to hand over to Lingaram Kodopi at a weekly market at village Palnar in Dantewada district," Home Minister Nankiram Kanwar told the State assembly in a written reply. He informed the house that so far, four people were arrested in the case and the State Government had constituted a SIT to speed up the probe and get to the bottom of the issue. Kanwar said that besides Lala and Kodopi who were caught red-handed by the Police, two others -- a tribal woman teacher, Soni Sori, and Essar general manager, D.V.C.S. Verma, who is posted in Dantewada District -- were arrested so far.

December 21: CPI-Maoist cadres fired upon an IAF helicopter which had been sent to help the Police-CRPF operation in Dantewada District. As per the official information reaching Raipur, five troopers who were inside and the pilot were safe, though the helicopter was hit by nine rounds in the incident on December 19. The MI-17 chopper of IAF had been sent to help the police and CRPF forces which had undertaken a large-scale operation against Maoists on December 18. During the operation, nine Maoists were arrested and large cache of weapons was seized, senior Police officers said.

December 25: In an ongoing anti-Naxalite operation, the Chhattisgarh Police attacked a CPI-Maoist camp in Dantewada District and busted an arms manufacturing unit. The Police also arrested nine top Maoists during the raid.

The Chhattisgarh Police is planning to launch a major operation shortly to seize gun factories run by the Maoists in the State, the Police sources said. The sources said intelligence has already identified a number of weapons manufacturing units producing various types of firearms ranging from country made pistols to 302 rifles in dense forests of Bastar and Mahasamund Districts. Intel reports said the units, whose number may be no less than 500, are small in size, even run in huts and cottages deep inside forests. The sources disclosed that existence of such arms making units has been reported in Abujhmad, Kanker, Nagari, Sihaba, Sitanadi, Chura, Gariabandh, Debbhog, Ammamora, Charraunda, Rasela, Komakhana, Naram, Khati, Kasekara, and Tuhulu areas in Bastar and Mahasamund regions. "All the weapon manufacturing units are strategically located in liberated zones of Naxals to help the rebels supply the arms produced in factories to their operation areas smoothly in forest routes without attracting attention of Security Forces," the Police sources added.

December 18: Four tribals, including a postman, were killed by the CPI-Maoist cadres in Bastar District for allegedly refusing to follow the Maoist diktat to blow off a school building being used as a Police outpost. The Maoists abducted the four villagers on the intervening night of December 17 and 18 from Kaknar village and subsequently killed them in a nearby forest, official sources said. The victims include Ganesh, the village postman, his uncle Vishwanath, one Chaman and Sukhlal, belonging to Maria Gond Tribe. Sources said the Maoists earlier had asked the four to help to bomb the Ashram school building located in Kaknar village, a portion of which was being used as a Police outpost.

December 26: Six CPI-Maoist cadres were arrested from a forested area of Awapalli in Bijapur District. Officials at Police headquarters here said that a contingent of DF tracked down the six Maoists in a well coordinated operation that ended late in the evening. The arrested Maoists had been involved in several attacks on Police and civilians in the District since June 2005.

December 27: The CPI-Maoist cadres killed a village sarpanch in the Kutru area in Bijapur District. The sarpanch was reportedly killed on charges being a Police spy.

The Maoists abducted a tribal youth from the same area in the District.

About 50 armed Maoists blew up a two-storeyed Police Station under-construction in Dantewada District. "Maoists stormed into the building at Geedam town, hardly 10 km from Dantewada town and set high-powered explosives and blew it up," Dantewada SP Ankit Garg said. The two-storeyed structure was almost complete but was not handed over to the police. "It was a massive blast and the building was mostly blown up," Garg said.

December 28: A day after cadres of the CPI-Maoist blasted Geedam Police Station in Dantewada District, SP of the District, Ankit Garg, has been removed and attached with the PHQ. The orders, issued late on evening, came from the CM. ASP Rajesh Kukreja has been given the charge till another SP is appointed. “After preliminary enquiry, the Government found that he failed in ensuring the security. Somebody has to be held responsible after such a serious lapse (Geedam blast). The Government decided to change him,” spokesperson of Chhattisgarh Government and Principal Secretary to the CM N Baijendra Kumar said.

December 30: The Chhattisgarh Tourism Board (CTB) has earmarked INR 80 million on a publicity blitz to rid the state of the Naxal tag, which affects its tourism prospects. Speaking to reporters in Panaji, CTB general manager P. Sen Bhowmick said that a detailed media plan was being worked out to counter the image of the State which is affected by Naxal violence in several Districts.

December 31: In a joint search operation, Security Forces arrested five Maoists from Bhanupratappur in Kanker District. One of the arrestees is a proclaimed offender-in the Bhanupratappur area and a top Maoist cadre, who was wanted in a string of criminal cases, said Bhanupratappur SDPO, Tarakeshwar Patel.


Delhi

October 1: The Special Cell of Delhi Police arrested two suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist for allegedly planning to send a consignment of arms and ammunition to their outfit in Jharkhand, from Lodhi Colony in New Delhi. Sources said the arrest of Dilip and Arun has also revealed the nexus between the banned group, PLA, and the Maoists. The Police claim they have the accused's laptop that contains important information related to future Maoist operations. "The laptop also has information about a training camp to be jointly organized by PLA and Naxals [Left-Wing Extremists] in Myanmar," said a source.

October 4: A suspected woman CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Soni Sori (36), wanted by the Chhattisgarh Police, was arrested from Katwaria Sarai in New Delhi, where she was allegedly hiding. Sori, is a primary school teacher and was wanted by the Chhattisgarh Police for acting as a conduit between Maoists and Essar group.


Jharkhand

January 2: A ‘zonal commander’ of TPC, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Devendra Ganju, was arrested from Simeria area in Chatra District. According to Police, the ‘zonal commander’ was wanted in more than 17 criminal cases and some incriminating documents were also recovered from him. The TPC is active in seven Districts of Jharkhand.

January 4: Averting a major tragedy, Police recovered 50 kilograms of IED during anti- CPI-Maoist operations in Latehar District. The IED bomb, planted beneath the road, was found near Hotwag village situated on the Ranchi-Daltonganj National Highway during a search operation. A 500 metre-long wire connected to the IED was also found. A bomb disposal squad reached the spot to defuse the IED.

A Maoist ‘commander’, identified as Birendra Yadav, was arrested from Garwah District.

January 6: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist abducted and killed a sarpanch in Khunti District, accusing him of being a Police informer. According to Police, Karam Singh Munda, was abducted by the Maoists from Arki market. He was first assaulted and later shot dead. Maoists left a pamphlet besides the body charging him being a Police informer.

January 7: The cadre of PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, killed a youth by slitting his throat in Gumla District. The victim is identified as Surendra Sao, a resident of Bakre village in the District, Police said.

January 8: One top Maoist identified as Basudev Swansi of Kocha Sindri from Arki was arrested by the SFs during a patrol in the forest of Hindridih. Initially, Swansi tried to fool the SFs with his false identity but on verification from the local people, he was identified and arrested.

SFs recovered two claymore mines weighing 50 Kilograms at Hindridih in Tamar. SSP Ranchi, Praveen Kumar Singh said claymore mines were hidden by the Maoists to target SFs in anti-Maoists operation.

January 9: Three cadres of the CPI-Maoist were killed in an encounter with SFs at Hurlum forests in Hazaribagh District. "Three top Maoist cadres were killed in the gun battle. The bodies have been recovered and three rifles seized," a spokesperson of the Jharkhand Police said. The killed Maoists were identified as ‘zonal commander’ Praven Manjhi alias Phulchand, ‘sub-zonal commander’ Dharmendra Mahto alias Deo Dayal Mahto and ‘area commander’ Prasant Kumar Singh of a hit squad of Zilga zonal commander Naveen Manjhi. Three rifles, including two semi-automatic ones, more than 100 live cartridges, a torch, cell phone batteries and chargers and INR 45, 000 in cash were found with them. A gas cylinder was also seized.

January 10: Jharkhand Police arrested five cadres of the CPI-Maoist, including a former ‘area commander’ identified as Turiya Arao, in Simdega District. Arao was associated with the CPI-Maoist in the Thethainagar area for the past three to four years, Police said. The Police are yet to identify the rest four arrested Maoists. "A huge cache of arms and ammunition has been recovered from them. One 9 mm pistol, two country-made pistols, two country-made rifles, .315 bullets, 9 mm bullets, 20 pieces of gelatine and 10 electronic detonators have also been seized from them," SP Anoop Birthare said.

January 11: Devki Nandan Gautam, a former DGP of Bihar, is appointed the security advisor to the Jharkhand Government. Gautam will advise the State Government on strategy to tackle Maoist menace and matters of general law and order.

January 12: Six suspected CPI-Maoist cadres were arrested in Gumla District. The arrestees were involved in the killing of nine persons, including four women and three children, in Taisera and Mahua Brindatoli villages of the District on January 6, Police said. The killings, according to Police sources, were the direct outcome of the murder of Bhushan Lakra's brother-in-law in 2010. Lakra is the ‘zonal commander’ of PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist.

The Communist CPI-Maoist cadres killed a person identified as Bhusan Marandi in Jhakia village in Bokaro District. The Maoists slit the throat of Marandi after branding him as a Police informer and claimed that Bhusan had reportedly tipped off the Police about the Maoists movements, the sources added.

The State Government approved 73 posts for the proposed four jungle warfare schools that will provide training to Security officials to combat the Maoists in the State. Two schools have been proposed in Latehar while one each in Jamshedpur and Hazaribagh respectively.

January 14: Two cadres of the CPI-Maoist were arrested from Jamunia village under Navadih Police Station of Bokaro District. INR 475, 000 cash was found at their home, Police said. They are yet to be identified by the Police.

Two more Maoists were arrested from Chakulia of East Singhbhum District. The Police seized 150 gelatine sticks, 100 detonators, 23 metres of fuse wire from them.

Police also recovered three landmines planted by the Maoists on the roadside at Chakulia.

The State Police in the year 2010 had arrested 569 hardcore Maoists including 47 Maoists above the rank of area commanders across the State. Director General of Police (DGP) Neyaz Ahmed applauded the efforts of Police personnel and expressed satisfaction over the achievements of the Police. "Several top leaders of rebels like Nune Narshima Reddy, Udaiji were arrested and over a dozen of their training camps were busted by the Police," Ahmed said. Meanwhile, the Police lost 24 of its troopers in anti-Naxal [Left Wing Extremism] operations in 2010 as compared to 2009 when it lost 64 of its troopers. "Most of the jawans had died in landmine explosions triggered by Maoists," Ahmed said. "We expect more success in 2011 and we will change the strategy slightly like moving Security Forces to new places and launching operation on border areas, and having more cooperation with Bihar, Odisha and West Bengal," Ahmed said. "During the year-end operations, the police had busted a Maoist laboratory in Bokaro that got vital information which scuttled their (Maoist operational) plans," he added.

January 15: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist attacked road construction workers in Lohardaga District. Ram Gulab Sharma, SDPO, said that the Maoists were trying to extort money from the factory and in that process set ablaze the bulldozer kept outside. "They asked for kerosene oil and I gave them. They were around 18-20 of them," said Pancho Devi, one of the eye witnesses.

The Jharkhand Police has adopted the latest technology of 3D mapping to take on the Maoists in the State. "The 3D mapping is helping us in getting familiar with the terrain, forests, hills and other places. It helps the Security Forces involved in anti-Maoist operations," SP of anti-Maoist operation Apoorva said.

Police working in the Maoist-hit areas have been asked to sharpen their personal observation instinct rather relying completely on the modern sophisticated gadgets to detect and uproot landmines as part of its renewed exercise to flush out the LWE from the State. "Yes, we want the officers (engaged in the anti-Maoist operations) to specialize on the personal observation front as far as detecting landmines is concerned," said DGP Neyaz Ahmed.

A dawn-to-dusk bandh called by Maoists to protest price rise and corruption went peaceful in Gumla, Simdega, Lohardaga, Palamu, Latehar and Chatra Districts. Though most of the shops remained closed in Gumla, people were on streets to attend the weekly haat. However, four-wheelers and auto rickshaws plied on the road as usual. SFs were put on alert keeping the Maoist bandh in view, Garhwa Police Chief Richard Lakra said. The bandh mostly hit bauxite mining and transportation as trucks carrying the ore on two routes from Upper Pat and Sereng Dag mines kept off these roads in the District.

January 16: Two people were shot dead by cadres of the CPI-Maoist in a janta durbar held in Latehar District. According to Police, cadres of the TPC, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist, forcibly picked up Hawaldar Singh and Awadesh Singh from their homes and were produced on the same night in the 'court', where they were held guilty of extorting money in the name of the outfit. Their bodies were later found in Banduwa village of the District.

Kishore Singh, a newly elected member of Taal Panchayat, was abducted by Maoists from his house in Panki Police Station limits in Palamu District. "His whereabouts are still untraced," SP A T Mathew said.

January 17: Two cadres of the PLFI, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist were arrested from an area close to Palkot road in Gumla District. Police seized a pistol, live cartridges and other incriminating materials from the cadres.

Three top Maoists, identified as Dhirendra, Sandeep and Nirbhay, involved in killing more than three dozen SF personnel, escaped from a jail by breaking the ceiling of their cell in West Singhbhum District, an unnamed official of Chaibasa jail said. Sandeep and Dhirenra were allegedly involved in two incidents of ambush in Saranda forest in 2002 and 2003 where more than 40 SF personnel were killed.

Two supporters of a LWE, identified as Hiralal Singh and Avdesh Singh, were killed by the cadres of the CPI-Maoist in Manika block in Latehar District. Both were residents of Kerwajharan and Bankheta villages. "The deceased were branded as supporters of another Naxalite outfit and killed by the Maoists," SP Kuldip Dwivedi said.

The Gumla District Police identified the two arrested cadres of the PLFI, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist, as Chandar Lohra, an 'area commander' and Sitaram Baraik, an active member of the outfit.

A Maoist cadre, involved in blowing up a community centre at Palamu village in Nawadih block in 2009, was arrested in a raid in Bokaro District. Bokaro SP Saket Singh said Budhan Mahato was arrested when he reached near Sarubeda village in Nawadih where a Police patrol was checking vehicles on the road. Mahato was wanted in many cases lodged in different Police Stations of the District. "Mahato attempted to flee from the spot but Policemen caught him. He belongs to Belargada village in Nawadih block. During interrogation, the Mahato revealed vital information related to Maoists activities," said Singh.

Under trial CPI-Maoist leaders were found to be in possession of cash and mobile phones in Gumla jail. In a surprise check, the Police found about INR 1, 200 from one identified as Joseph Ekka, a self-styled 'sub-zonal commander' and INR 1, 020 from another identified as Babi Munda, a self-styled 'area commander' of the Maoists, SDPO Madhusudhan said. The SDPO said eight mobile handsets, ten sim cards and two knives were also found from other under trials, including three cadres of the PLFI, a break away faction of the Maoists.

January 18: The Police recovered 13 mobile phones, 17 phone chargers, a knife and other incriminating materials from the jail in Garhwa District during surprise raids, said an unnamed Police official. "Senior Police Officials conducted the raid following a tip-off about mobile phones and sharp weapons inside the jail. Apart from the phones, two SIM cards, a knife, a pair of scissors and a baton were also seized from inmates," the Official said. Over 800 prisoners are lodged in Garhwa jail and more than half of them are Maoists. The raid took place a day after three top ranking Maoists escaped from West Singhbhum District jail.

January 19: Five top ranking CPI-Maoist cadres, including a 'sub-zonal commander' of the outfit, were arrested from Diwan Bigha village in Palamu District. Police said the arrested Maoists were identified as Satender Yadav alias Boss Ji, a 'sub-zonal commander', Upendra Yadav, Manoj Singh, Vaidhyanath Yadav and Sheomurat Choudhury. The arrestees were involved in various Maoist incidents. Satender, active in the District and in Aurangabad District of Bihar, was the main accused in blowing up of five primary school buildings on 18th December, 2009 in the District and attack on SF personnel during the Assembly polls. Police has recovered one pistol, a regular rifle, live cartridges, three mobile phones, a four-wheeler and INR 12, 760 cash from their possession.

Additional SFs have been deployed to guard a jail in Hazaribagh District, where many top Maoist leaders are lodged, official sources said. The step was taken as a large number of top Maoists leaders from Bihar, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh are kept in the Jai Prakash Narayan Central jail of the District.

Jharkhand Police arrested a top ranking Maoist leader, identified as Niranjan Oraon alias Neeraj, 'area commander' and 'sub-zonal member' of the outfit from Budhapahar in Simdega District. Neeraj was wanted in at least six cases, including murder, arson and laying explosives, in the State. One double-barrel gun and a cache of arms and explosives have been recovered from him, other than the Maoist literature, Anup Birthare, Superintendent of Police said. According to Police officials the arrested Maoist leader was planning a major attack.

January 20: Four 'zonal commanders' of the CPI-Maoist, were arrested from Porahat forest in West Singhbhum District of Jharkhand. Marshal Bhuiyan was wanted for the killing of the SFs personnel in Goilkera Police Station area and a villager identified as Rasika Bhuiyan, in 2008. He was arrested while he was on his way to his home and subsequently led to the arrest of his son Nelson Bhuiyan, daughter, Pinky Kumari and Premanand Bhuiyan. Marshal was also wanted in eleven more cases and was active in Sonua, Manoharpur, Goilkera, Bandgaon and Jaraikela Police Station areas of the District, SP A K Singh said. Marshal, confessed that he had collected INR 3.7 million as levy in the current financial year from contractors and an engineer which was delivered to Maoists as also two sacks of explosives and INR 600, 000, Singh added. Nelson and Pinky, also had cases against them, the SP A K Singh said adding that Pinky was part of the Maoists squad and was sexually exploited by them.

January 23: Four villagers were abducted by the cadres of the CPI-Maoist from Khiritand village under Rajpur Police Station in Chatra District. The abducted villagers, identified as Kedar Yadav, Bindu Yadav, Mahendra Yadav and Bhim Singh Yadav, all belonging to a family, were engaged in a long-standing dispute over a piece of land in the village with another group of villagers and had often clashed with each other, SP Prabhat Kumar said. The abducted villagers were in their houses when armed Maoists and villagers of the rival group pulled out the four and took them away. The Maoists threatened the family members of the Yadavs to transfer the land soon or the four would be killed.

Police arrested a Maoist, identified as Sanju Ganju, in a raid at his house at Purnapani village, near Jhumra Hills under Mahuataad Police Station in Bokaro District. Police also recovered 250 grams of explosives, electric wires, Maoist literatures and medicines from the possession of Ganju. However, Police have detained three more persons along with Ganju suspecting them Maoists, but they were later released. Ganju was wanted in two incidents of Maoist cases including setting ablaze a drilling machine in Hurdag and blasting railway track near Jageshwar Vihar in 2010.

January 24: Two cadres of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, were arrested from Bhonda village of Khunti District while a ‘commander’ identified as Pawan Gope, of the outfit was arrested from Tupudana situated on outskirts of Ranchi District. The two cadres are yet to be identified by the Police. The three faced charges in cases of murder and extortion, Police said. A pistol, live cartridges and incriminating documents were recovered from them, Police added.

January 25: A Maoist, identified as Michael Kharia, was arrested from the Mokra forest in Gumla District. Getting a tip-off that Kharia was in the forest, a Police team surrounded the area and arrested him. Kharia was wanted in Maoist related violence in the District. A pistol, nine round of bullets, Maoist literature and uniform tucked in a rucksack were recovered from him, SP, N K Singh, said.

January 26: Cadres of the CPI-Maoist blew up a middle school at Chadara village in Palamau District. About 50 to 60 cadres reached the village in the early hours of the day and blew up the school using dynamite. No one was in the school when the explosion took place, SP Anup T. Mathew said.

In Latehar, Maoists hoisted a black flag on the terrace of a school and stuck a poster with anti-government slogans and threats. The school children did not hoist the national flag following the Maoist threat. Teachers also said that they did not want to take the risk by hoisting the national flag.

Jharkhand Governor M.O.H. Farook said on Republic Day that the State Government has launched a multi-pronged strategy to combat LWE. "The Jharkhand Government has a multi-pronged strategy comprising security measures, developmental action, political initiatives and perception management to tackle the menace." He appealed to the Maoists to shun the path of violence, join the mainstream and contribute to the State's development.

January 27: A 40 kilograms cylinder bomb, four landmines and other explosives were recovered by the SFs in Chatra District. The bomb was planted on the roadside to target vehicles of the SFs, while the landmines, 90 meter wire, and four detonators were found during an anti-Maoist operation of the State Police and CRPF in Kothari forest under Lawalong Police Station.

January 28: Nine cadres of the CPI-Maoist were killed in an encounter with SFs at Luhur forest in Latehar District. "Nine bodies of the Maoists were recovered after the encounter at Luhur forest under Barwadih Police Station," Latehar SP Kuldweep Diwedi said. SFs comprising CRPF and the District Police have also recovered arms and ammunition from the incident site, the SP added.

The CPI-Maoist is also recruiting rural youths in the remote areas of Palamu District where the Maoists are only testing the physical prowess of the youth. A Maoists supporter in Chainpur block of the District said the recruitment of the Maoists is slow this year because of the drought.

January 30: Suman alias Triveni (33) an ‘area commander’ of the CPI-Maoist was arrested from Daltanganj railway station of Palamau District. Three carbines, one automatic pistol, one revolver and 21 cartridges were recovered from him, the Police said.

Acting on a tip-off that nine Maoist cadres were taking shelter at a house in Lengwa village under Hunterganj Police Station limits in Chatra District, the CRPF and the District Police Force (DPF) personnel launched search operations and arrested one cadre, identified as Ravindra Yadav. Yadav was wanted in several Maoist-related cases. However, the remaining eight Maoists managed to escape, Police said. A total of two rifles, about 100 bullets, Maoist literature and land lease documents were recovered from the place, Police said.

January 30: The around 10 to 15 cadres of the PLFI, earlier known as the JLT and a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, abducted three youths identified as Alok Sahu, Mahabali Sahu and Bhola Sahu and subsequently killed them by slitting their throats in Hulsu village on the outskirts of Ranchi District.

The Maoists killed a quarry owner, identified as Baburam Kisku, in Chitragadia village in Dumka District. SP Hemant Toppo said more than 15 cadres attacked Kisku's house and shot him dead. Kisku's sister-in-law was also injured in the firing, Toppo added. They also set ablaze two vehicles, a jeep and an earth digging machine, parked near his house.

January 31: The Maoists blew up a water tank, a pump and a generator meant to supply water to the CRPF paratroopers at Jhumra hill in Bokaro District.

February 2: The SFs recovered three landmines during a combing operation at Purnapani village in Bokaro District. Each landmine weighed 50-kilograms and was planted by the CPI-Maoist cadres with an aim to target the Police during anti-naxal LWE operation, SP, S K Singh, said.

February 3: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed a contractor by slitting his throat in Chatra District. The victim, identified as Asraf Mian, was abducted from his house in Giddhor area and his dead body was found from Mahuatand area. The Maoists left a pamphlet terming the contractor as "pimp" of the Government, a Police Official said.

The Jharkhand Police arrested a CPI-Maoist cadre suspected to be involved in the blowing up of a school on January 26 was arrested from Chacharia village in Palamau District. Getting a tip-off that the Maoist, Ram Bali Mehra, was hiding at a place in the village under Bishrampur Police Station, a Police team raided the place and arrested him, the DSP Girish Pandey, said in Medininagar. A loaded pistol was recovered from him, the DSP said.

February 7: Cadres of the CPI-Maoist blew up railway tracks at two different places in Jharkhand, as they began a day-long strike in three States (Jharkhand, Bihar and Orissa) to protest price rise and corruption. A group of armed Maoists packed explosives to blow up a stretch of railway track, four kilometres from Mile station in Ramgarh District, at 1.15 AM (IST), Police sources said. Similarly another stretch of railway track was blown up between Dania station in Bokaro District and Bihar's Jageshwar station, disrupting train services on the two routes, the sources said. The Maoists also warned the station master of Dania against movement of trains during the shutdown, and took away the keys of the railway crossing gate there, the Police said.

February 6: Ranchi Police arrested four cadres of the PLFI, including 'sub-zonal commander' Manna Yadav from Aara jungles of Chanho Block in Ranchi District. PLFI is a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist. The Police recovered one locally-made rifle, pistol, five bullets and four mobile handsets from the arrested extremists. The three other arrested extremists are Jamuna Yadav aka Chotu, Sunil Thakur and Sideshwar Mishra aka Sidhi Pandit.

Police recovered two half-made landmines following a raid at Jhumra Hill under Gomia Block in Bokaro District. This is for the first time when the Police recovered fire extinguishers, which Maoists use in making landmines by filling explosives inside it.

Police seized 55 bags of ammonium nitrate, used in making IED, from a transport company at Jalan Road of Upper Bazaar and a mining firm at Chutupalu in Ramgarh District. Police suspect the substance is used by Maoists.

February 8: A forest guard, his driver and three other persons were abducted by the CPI-Maoist cadres from Dodia village of Hazaribagh District. About 20 Maoists went to the village and abducted forest guard Sheo Bachan Lal, his driver and three others for refusing to pay extortion for launching a road work under the MGNREGA project. The Maoists took them towards Gaya in Bihar but later they released them, Superintendent of Police Pankaj Kamboj said.

Suspected CPI-Maoist cadres abducted two contractors, Bisawajit Bhattacharya and Rajkumar, from Chandawa Police Station area in Latehar District. "It seems that Maoists might have abducted them. We are still investigating the case. The role of criminals cannot be ruled out," a Police officer said.

February 10: Three Left Wing Extremists of the Jharkhand Sangharsh Janmukti Morcha (JSJM), a splinter group of CPI-Maoist were arrested from Mandru village under Oremanjhi Police Station in Ranchi District. The arrestees were, identified as Naresh Mahato, Naresh Karmali and Basant Karmali. The Police also recovered two country made rifles, two country made pistols and 10 live bullets from their possession. All the three hail from Basal village under Ramgarh Police Station and had demanded extortion money from a contractor engaged in building of ring road near Pithoria and a firm MG Construction. Police also recovered some Maoist literature and hand written pamphlets of extortion and threats to contractors. On the basis of recent extortion threats given by the outfits to the contractors and firms engaged in road construction, Police tracked down the extremists.

February 11: Three persons, including a woman, were killed in an explosion at Manatu in Palamu District. "The explosion took place at Sarguja village when the victims were producing landmine and can-bombs in the house of Birju Turi, an alleged sympathiser of the CPI-Maoist," DSP Surdarshan Mandal said. The three persons, including Birju's wife, were killed on the spot, he said, adding that the identity of the two victims was yet to be established. He said the roof and walls of the house were blown up by the impact of the blast.

February 12: Odisha Police arrested three cadres of the CPI-Maoist during a combing operation by the SOG troopers from Jareikela area in Jharkhand. The arrestees are identified as Aditya, Ajaya and Fingraj. The Police recovered explosives of huge quantity and Maoists leaflets from them.

February 12: Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist abducted four members of a family from Garhwa District late. According to Police sources, about 50 to 60 Maoists, who came on a bus, raided Cheharia village in Bhawnathpur block in the District and attacked Makhan Yadav's house and abducted the four of the family, leaving the female members. The abducted family members are Makhan Yadav, his son Dhaneshwar, Shiv Kumar Yadav and his son Jitan. Garhwa Superintendent of Police Richard Lakra said that Santosh Yadav, the nephew of Makhan Yadav, was attached with the squad of Maoist area commander Munna Vishwakarma since last few years. "Santosh kidnapped his uncle and three others of the family following a long dispute over land and property," Lakra added.

February 13: CPI-Maoists cadres abducted a station master from the Kechki station in Palamau District. More than 150 armed Maoists attacked the station and abducted the station master and a porter. While the porter has been released there has been no information on the abducted official as yet. The porter claims that the Maoists demanded for ransom for releasing the station master.

A joint team of CRPF, Jharkhand Armed Force (JAP) and District Police busted a Maoist camp in a forest near Baltharwa on Jhumra Hill in Gomia in Bokaro District and recovered an IED and other explosive materials. They also destroyed a firing range set up by the Maoists at the spot.

February 18: The SAP of Jharkhand organised a special camp in Latehar District to train cadets of the JAP to combat CPI-Maoist in the State.

February 25: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist set ablaze two tractors of brick kiln near Masihatu in Balumath of Latehar District. Nearly 30 armed Maoists stopped the two tractors loaded with bricks on way to an industrial project coming up at Chandawa. Maoists asked the drivers of the tractors to alight from the vehicles, poured fuel on both the tractors and set them on fire. After the incident, Maoists disappeared into the forests. Latehar SP Kuldeep Dwivedi said prima facie it appeared that the Maoists set the vehicles on fire for want of levy, but Police are investigating the case.

February 26: A ‘sub-zonal commander’ of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Guddu Oraon alias Karam Chand Oraon, was killed in an encounter with SFs in Gumla District. The encounter took place when Oraon and his accomplices opened fire on a patrolling party of SFs’ in Keredih forest, Singh said, adding he was killed in the exchange of fire while his associates managed to escape.

Oraon was carrying a reward of INR 200, 000 on his head in Jharkhand, while Chhattisgarh had announced a reward of INR 10,000 for catching him in connection with 24 cases of Maoist violence, Gumla SP N. K. Singh said. Oraon was active on the borders of Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Jharkhand.

February 27: Security Forces in Nawadih introduced Community-Policing programme to tackle the Maoists in the region. Locals were given food and clothing as incentives, as part of the programme. Anoop T. Mathew, SP of Palamu, said that such programmes help bridge gaps between the Police and locals, and also protects them from recruiting by the Maoists.

February 28: Three Policemen, including an Assistant Sub Inspector, a Head Constable and a Home Guard, were killed and four others injured in a landmine blast triggered by the CPI-Maoist cadres in Chatra District. The explosion occurred when a jeep carrying seven Policemen, who were returning after a search operation, drove over the landmine at Lakrai More in Tandua area. The Maoists also seized the weapons from the Policemen before escaping.

March 2: Suspected CPI-Maoist cadres abducted and killed Neyamat Ansari (40), a functionary attached to a local organisation campaigning for the right of labourers, working under the MNREGS, at Jerua village in Latehar District. Ansari was a close associate of eminent economist Jean Dreze, a member of the National Advisory Council, and was also instrumental in bringing the Lok Adalat on the MGNREGS to Latehar in 2009. The victim’s sister has lodged a complaint with the local Police Station accusing a Maoist squad of having a hand in this. However, DGP G S Rath said, "Ansari had a tainted past, and reportedly Maoist links." He added that the killers were yet to be identified and "we are probing."

March 5: One person was seriously injured when suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist fired at a bus carrying members of a marriage party in Palamu District. "One Shiv Ratan suffered bullet wounds when rebels fired at the bus on Chatra-Tandua road last night," DIG (Palamu Range) L P Singh, said. The wedding guests were going to Panki in the District from Tandua in Chatra District.

Palamu SP, Anoop T Mathew has claimed to have recovered a looted Police rifle of .303 bore and Maoist literature following a 40-minute joint Police and the CRPF and the Maoist encounter at Jitamatee on the border of Pandu and Hussainabad in Palamu District. However, there was no casualty, said Mathew, although the Police fired 40 rounds. About 30 Maoists, including women, led by ‘sub-zonal commander’ Govind were at Jitamatee when the encounter took place. The Security Force was led by additional SP Ronald.

The 133 Battalion of CRPF under its civic action programme has lit up Maoist-affected Sarjamdih village with 18 solar lights under Bundu Police Station of Ranchi District. "Villagers often complained that they have no lights and they, especially women, face problems at night," said Deputy Commandant Pawan Kumar Singh of the 133 Battalion. Further, two doctors of CRPF organized a health check-up camp at the village and treated around 100 villagers from Sarjamdih, Barahatu and Barigadha and other adjoining villages, added Singh.

March 7: The Jharkhand Government proposes to set up a new force called SISF to provide security to industry and banks in the CPI-Maoist-infested areas, in the State Budget presented in the Assembly by Deputy Chief Minister Hemant Soren. The battalion of SISF, comprising ex-servicemen, planned to be raised will be recruited and their training will be completed by the end of fiscal year 2011-12. To deal with the Maoists, the Budget proposes to open 92 Police Stations and strengthen the Special Branch of the Police by setting up Cyber Security and Surveillance System and Intelligence Training School for its staff. Soren, presented a deficit budget of INR 38.6577 billion, said 18,000 Police posts were vacant. Of these, 11,000 posts of constables and 850 posts of Sub-Inspectors would be filled up in the coming financial year. "In order to overcome the problem of the Naxalites [Left Wing Extremism], the administrative officers were sensitised. The effort was also being made to help improve institutional system," Soren added.

March 10: A CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Ganesh Ganju, involved in over 13 crimes was arrested from Paras forested area at Bundu in Ranchi District. The Police recovered 320 explosive boosters, 12 gelatine bombs and other explosives from his possession.

The Police arrested two women who went to meet CPI-Maoist leader Ajay Purti in Chaibasa jail in West Singhbhum District. One of the women arrestees was identified as Binodi Surin while the other is yet to be identified. Surin was carrying INR 8, 000 when arrested near the jail.

A top ranking CPI-Maoist cadre identified as Sukra Oraon alias Jogeshwar Oraon, son of Gondura Ganjhu of Pali village under Senha Police Station, was arrested from Ita-Barhi village under Bhandra block in the District. Oraon is a top cadre in zonal ‘commander’ Ravindhra Ganjhu's group. Several CPI-Maoist posters were seized from his possession," SP Minz said.

March 11: A combined team of local quick response team, CRPF and Bundu's SOG led by SP Aseem Vikrant Minz neutralised a CPI-Maoist bunker at Putrar village near Bhudu-Pahad under Peshrar Police picket in Lohardaga District. The team also recovered 18 bundles of highly explosive codex wire (around 7000m) hidden in a in a 500-litre overhead tank in the bunker during the ‘Operation Basant', as christened by the Police. The SP said the Police are investigating the possibilities of more hidden stocks of arms and ammunition of the Maoists. "The codex (V cord 10 gram detonating fuse) is made of Andhra Explosive Company in Andhra Pradesh and the manufacturing date mentioned is August 2010. The Police will find out how it reached to Maoists," said the SP.

March 12: A school student was killed during an encounter between the CPI-Maoist cadres and the cadres of the TPC, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist at Bara village in Palamu District. A group of Maoists, on getting information that a TPC squad had taken shelter in the village, attacked them. During the encounter a stray bullet hit Ajay Yadav (9), a class IV student, who was standing at the doorsteps of his house and he died on the spot, DIG Laxman Prasad Singh, said. A rifle was also recovered from the spot, Singh added.

March 14: Two CRPF troopers were injured in an encounter between SF personnel and the CPI-Maoist cadres at Jorabeda forest under Arki Police Station area in Khunti District. Around 6.45am, the CPI-Maoist led by Kundan Pahan of ‘Platoon 39’ saw the SFs trekking the hills and opened fired at the troopers. After nearly two hours of encounter, the CPI-Maoist escaped into the forests towards nearby Mosanga village. The SFs led by Ranchi (ASP, operation) Apoorva neutralised the Maoist camp on top of the Jorabeda hill and recovered a 15kg cylinder bomb, Maoists literature and other logistics.

March 15: Five CPI-Maoist cadres were killed in a gunfight with SFs in Khunti District. "Five guerrillas have been killed in a gun battle. Our men saw that Maoists took away the dead bodies of their comrades," a Police Officer said.

The Maoists set ablaze ten vehicles, including three trucks and one bus in Chauparan in Hazaribagh District. The Maoists fired at a truck and injured its driver.

The Police recovered one landmine and two detonators, laid by the Maoists near Hutar colliery of Latehar District.

March 16: Police arrested an arms supplier Kaju alias Ajaj Quraisi son of the late Jamal Quraisi of Rahat Nagar with a country-made semi-automatic carbine in his possession at Kisko More area in Lohardaga District. The arrested arms supplier, a wanted criminal, used to supply arms to the Maoists and criminals for the last several years.

March 17: Cadres of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, set ablaze a passenger bus at Taal under Panki Police Station in Palamu District. Confirming the incident, SP Anoop T Mathew said the passenger bus was coming from Ranchi to Daltonganj. The incident occurred on Balumath-Panki route. The passengers were asked to get down. PLFI cadres took out the diesel container from the bus and set it ablaze. Police suspected that it was the handiwork of Dwarika, ‘commander’ of the PLFI.

March 18: The CPI-Maoist cadres blew up a water pump in Mogahataburu village in West Singhbhum District. According to the Police, the Maoists blasted the water pump, to protest the ongoing operation against them in Saranda forest. The Jharkhand Police have launched an operation against the Maoists in Saranda forest, where some six companies of Paramilitary Forces are assisting the State Police.

Announcing to set up 18 more STF units and one more IRB to take on the Maoists, Jharkhand Government informed the Assembly that the Police had started dominating various extremists groups, reports PTI. "These STFs will be set up in 2011/12 while the IRB this year. In the beginning it was said that extremists had been dominating the Police but now the Police have been dominating the CPI-Maoists and other Left Wing Extremist (LWE) outfits," State HRD Minister Baijnath Ram said in reply to the Home Departments budgetary demand for grant. Jharkhand has already 22 STF and five IRBs, he added.

Informing the house that in all 547 extremists had been killed and 4,084 Maoists were arrested since the States creation on November 15, 2000, Ram said Maoist presence was felt in hitherto untouched Santhal Pargana region where six Districts are located. Stating that 18 of the 24 Districts were affected by LWEs, Ram said SFs personnel were doubled in 118 Police Stations in LWE-hit areas. To reduce dependence on central forces, he added, the State had created 14 additional companies of Jharkhand Armed Police.

March 24: The CPI-Maoist cadres killed two engineers in Latehar District. The engineers, identified as Jitendra Kumar Singh and Mukesh Yadav of Calcutta-based Simplex Infrastructures, were abducted by Maoists while they were returning after inspecting civil work at an upcoming 540MW thermal power plant being set up by Abhijeet Group at Chandwa on March 17.

Rajesh Prasad Shaw (24), a Police constable was killed and two others were injured in a landmine blast triggered by the Maoists who were targeting Ghatshila ASP Anish Kumar Gupta in Ghatshila in East Singhbhum District. The incident occurred when a joint team of District Police and CRPF, comprising 300 troopers, was on its way to Dainmari and Makuli bordering Belpahari Police Station in West Bengal, to conduct long-range patrolling after receiving information that the Maoists Dampara squad was holed up in the forests. The men were negotiating a turn when the landmine exploded around 7.30am. Shaw died on the spot. Two CRPF troopers- Ganesh Gaur and Vinod Kumar were also injured.

March 26: A top ranking CPI-Maoist cadre wanted in a dozen cases was arrested from the Sonahatu Police Station area in Ranchi District along with 25 kilograms of explosive gel. A team of Ranchi Police raided Kala Mahdeo village, and arrested Surendra Swansi. The Maoist cadre was to transport the explosive gel to the cadres in Bundu-Tamar when Police raided the village. "The explosive was earlier hidden underground. It was recently dug out for giving to the Maoist squad active in the area," said SSP Praveen Kumar Singh. Recently, Swansi had gone into hiding in the Chowka area of Saraikela-Kharsawan District but had come to deliver the explosive gel to Sonahatu where he was arrested. "This is a major breakthrough for Police as Swansi was wanted in a number of cases and was a hardcore Maoist," said Singh.

March 27: Maoist Hari Pad Mahto surrendered before the Police in Ranchi District. Mahto was active during the formative years of Naxalism [LWE] in Ranchi and its surrounding areas and had left the outfit for the past two years. He had worked extensively to spread Naxalism in the Bundu, Tamar and Arki areas since 2003-04. He was wanted in over a dozen of cases of murder, extortion, abduction, arson and Police encounters. "He had joined the Maoist ranks before the notorious rebel commander Kundan Pahan and had several warrant of arrests pending against him," said SSP. "He is a resident of Bucha Dih village in Tamar and his surrender has been implemented under the surrender and rehabilitation policy of the State."

March 29: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed a labourer when he refused to pay extortion money at Dungri village in Palamu District. Raj Dev Turi (42) was dragged out from his house by a dozen of Maoist cadres and shot him dead last night after he refused to pay them 'levy' (extortion), DSP, Sudarshan Mandal, said.

March 31: A CPI-Maoist cadre wanted for the killing of three Policemen was arrested in Giridih District. Following a tip-off, Jawar Murmur alias Talo'da was arrested from Kuar More of the District, SP A. B. Homker said. Murmur was wanted in connection with the killing of Jama Police Station in-Charge Sadanand Singh and two other Policemen during an encounter in Dumka District in 2010 and another gun-battle at Ramgarh in the same District in 2008, he said. Murmur confessed during interrogation that he was heading the Maoist ‘firing squad’ in the encounters and that the Maoists had asked him to expand its network in Jharkhand's Santhal Pargana and border.

April 1: Suspected cadres of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist set ablaze two excavators and a motorcycle of a construction company constructing a bridge over the Koel river at Jologhat, causing a loss of about INR 10 million to the builder in Gumla District. Basia Police Station OIC Shivchandra Prasad Singh said some 10-12 cadres of the PLFI reached the construction site and assaulted cashier Dilu Lohra, masons and labourers Kartik, Chhotu and others. They then took out diesel stored to run machines and set ablaze the excavators and the motorcycle parked there. The cadres then looted four mobile sets from Lohra and others, OIC Shivchandra Prasad Singh added.

April 4: Three bags carrying 5,000 detonators were recovered by the Police from Jamtara District. According to the Police, three youths were spotted carrying the bags at Jamtara railway station, some 450 kilometres from Ranchi. Suspecting something amiss, the Police personnel approached the youths, but they fled, leaving their bags behind. The three had deboarded the Patliputra Express train. "It appears the explosives were meant to be supplied to CPI-Maoist. Off late, Jamtara has emerged as a hub for the Maoists," a Police Officer said.

The Police has clarified that the two engineers identified as Jitendra Kumar Singh and Mukesh Yadav killed in Latehar District on March 24 was the handiwork of the workers at the Abhijeet Group power plant site in the State and not of the Maoists. "The case has been solved and it is apparent that it was the conspiracy of some workers at the Abhijeet Group site itself. The gang has been arrested and the role of Maoists has been ruled out," said Latehar SP, Kuldeep Dehvli. "It seems that the miscreants wanted to extract ransom from their families," he said. Dehvli said that the Maoists took advantage of the entire incident and ambushed the Police party sent to rescue the victims.

April 6: Manoj Ojha (40), General Manager (GM) of Reliance Power, was killed and seven other company officials were injured in an attack by the cadres of the TPC, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist, near Hesatu village in Chatra District, around 100 kilometres from Ranchi. The team from the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group Company had arrived at Sidppa village in Tandwa tehsil in the District, at 10am to survey land for a project, the Police said.

April 7: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist set ablaze a porcelain machine and five water pumps and looted two mobile sets from workers at a bridge construction site near Mariumtoli under Raidih Police Station in Gumla District. The Maoists left a pamphlet at the site forbidding use of machines and construction of big projects while suggesting initiation of irrigation projects and wage hike for labourers. "Over 25 armed cadres of (CPI-Maoist) reached the site of a big bridge construction across Sankh River and set a porcelain machine and five water pumps on fire," said Officer-in-Charge of Raidih Police Station Digvijay Singh.

April 8: A teacher and four villagers were suspected to have been abducted by CPI-Maoist cadres at Dalia village in Medininagar in Palamu District. "We suspect abduction of a teacher, Ismail Ansari and four other villagers by Maoists last night though their family members have not informed the Police yet", SP, Anup T Mathew, said. Ansari is a teacher of Chhatarpur Middle School at Dalia.

April 9: A top cadre of the CPI-Maoist identified as Mangal Singh Munda (28) was arrested from Humta village under Bundu Police Station in Ranchi District. Mangal, a resident of Edeldih village under Tamar Police Station had been to jail in 2006, for killing his wife and after coming out he joined the Maoists. The Police also recovered two loaded magazines of the gun, a carbine and 18 bullets from his possession. He was arrested from the residence of Madhu Munda, another top Maoist who managed to escape taking advantage of darkness. "They are not senior-rank Maoists but recently three-four former Maoists have united to form a group to extort levy from contractors," said SSP Praveen Kumar Singh.

April 11: The Police arrested a self-styled 'area commander' of the CPI-Maoist near Thariamahua Bridge in Giridih District. The 'area commander' identified as Shiva Turi was operating at Dhanbad's Tundi area, was arrested during joint raids by Dhanbad and Giridih Police and his arrest would provide vital information on the rebel outfit, Superintendent of Police A V Homker said. "Turi was involved in the Maoist attack on Maniadih Police picket in which a Policeman was killed in 2009, besides the murder of a chowkidar in 2008 and blowing up of two school buildings during Maoist-called shut-downs," he said. Turi was a resident of Kudko village in the District.

April 12: Two villagers were killed by the cadres of the CPI-Maoist at a Kangaroo Court in Latehar District. The bodies of Harbar Singh and Chetu Singh were recovered at Baresand village, DSP Ashwini Sinha said. The Maoists claimed responsibility of their killing through a note left near the bodies. They accused the duo on charges of collecting levy in the name of the Maoists, the DSP said. Quoting villagers, Sinha said Harbar Singh and Chetu Singh were taken away from their homes by the Maoists on April 10.

A Police team recovered three can bombs each weighing over 20 kilograms from the Bendi forest near the Hazaribagh-Chatra Road in Hazaribagh District. The Maoists planted the bombs with an aim to target the Police who were deployed to maintain law and order during Ramnavami processions, scheduled to be taken out in the evening. The personnel of bomb disposal squad defused the bombs and the Police Stations of Keredari, Barkagaon, Kadkumsandi and adjoining Chatra District's Simaria and Tandwa were alerted and patrolling were stepped up.

April 13: Union Junior Home Minister Gurudas Kamat is scheduled to visit the State. According to sources, he will visit CRPF camp and will meet Governor M O H Farook and Chief Minister Arjun Munda to discuss the steps taken by the Government to tackle law and order problem, Maoist problem and inter-State relationship.

Two former cadres of the CPI-Maoist were shot dead by the Maoist cadres at Atikheta village in Latehar District. The bullet-riddled bodies of Nirmal Singh and Birendra Singh Kharwar were recovered during the day with the Maoists claiming responsibility, SP Kuldip Diwedi said. The Maoists' note accused the duo of rape and robbery after quitting their ranks to float JJP, a CPI-Maoist splinter group. Singh and Kharwar had been in the Maoists' firing squad till 2008, the Police said.

The Maoists killed Jaleshwar Prajapati (38), a councillor of ward VI of Tilaiya panchayat under Mahuataad Police Station in Bokaro District. Prajapati was abducted at around 10 pm in the night of April 12 by a gang of around 48 Maoists and later, sentenced to death in a kangaroo court. ASP Bermo Tamil Banan confirmed the killing, but refused to comment on speculation that the body hadn't been removed till late evening as the Police feared Maoists might have planted explosives near it. A pamphlet left by the Maoists near the body warned that "Supporters of Police will meet this fate".

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Gurudas Kamat, praised CRPF troopers fighting the Maoists in Jharkhand and assured that the Centre would look into their requirements. "The nation salutes CRPF jawans (troopers) who are fighting Naxalites (LWE) in the forests. The Government will address their problems and requirements," Kamat said while meeting the CRPF personnel at the Zilla School ground in Chaibasa in West Singhbhum District to mark a function of the 197th battalion of the CRPF. Condemning the killing of two villagers by the Maoists in Latehar on April 12, Kamat asked what the Maoists want to prove by indulging in violence. To a query whether the Union Government would sanction setting up of more camps in the dense Saranda forest in West Singhbhum, Kamat said the Government would consider it after recruitment of more personnel in the CRPF. On another query as to when the night service of the railways would start, Kamat said he would speak to the railway ministry, adding if Jharkhand provided security trains, services could restart in the areas bordering Jharkhand and West Bengal. Train services were cancelled after the Gyaneshwari Express mishap in 2010.

April 14: Five LWE cadres were arrested from different parts of Ranchi District. Three cadres of the PLFI, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist were arrested from Bajra Bridge, about 15 kilometres from the District Headquarters in Itki, while two Maoist cadres identified as Basudev Hazam and Istomani alias Basanti, were arrested from near Rocky Cinema in the Bundu Police Station area in the District. The three PLFI cadres are identified as Raj Kamal Gope (30), Manjula Kumari (20) and Shahnawaz (21). Raj Kamal Gope is the 'zonal commander' of the PLFI, while Manjula and Shahnawaz were his trusted lieutenants. "Gope is wanted in more than 20 cases of murder and extortion," SSP Praveen Kumar Singh said. According to the Police, Basudev and Basanti were actively associated with Maoist 'zonal commander' Kundan Pahan, known as the Veerapan of Jharkhand. "The Maoist duo was associated with the Kundan Pahan squad for a year and a half. But when the rebels sexually exploited the girl, both decided to stay away. To protect themselves from the wrath of Maoists, they preferred working as suppliers," SSP Singh said. "I joined the organisation three months ago, but had remained in the squad for only six days. During my very brief association, Budhwa Pahan, an aide of Kundan Pahan, raped me four times," Basanti said. "One foreign made pistol, 40 gelatine sticks, more than 50 live cartridges and one vehicle has been recovered," SSP Singh added.

The Jharkhand Government must improve law and order conditions as the coal production in the State, which has the largest coal reserves in India, has been hit by the Maoist problem, Union Coal Minister Prakash Jaiswal said. "Coal production has been hit by the Maoist problem in the State. Law and order in Jharkhand is not satisfactory and the State Government should do the needful to improve it," Jaiswal told reporters in Ranchi.

Intelligence sources said Maoists prefer to recruit criminals who are wanted in several criminal cases. "There is advantage to both: criminals get protection and can earn money, while Maoists get a criminal who in fear of Police action dedicatedly engage in rebel activities," said the intelligence official. SSP Singh said due to intensive Police pressure, several top Maoists have either surrendered or are being killed and thus criminal options have become most suitable for the Maoists. "The cadre recruitment drives of rebels, have recently suffered a huge setback due to Police pressure and presence of security men in Naxalite-affected areas. Thus they are looking for criminals," said Singh. He added there are cases when Maoists themselves call on the criminals who have been evading arrests and ask them to join their ranks and in many cases criminals themselves contact the Maoists. According to intelligence inputs, the South Chhotanagpur zonal committee, which has 'zonal commander' Kundan Pahan, having lost his cadres in Police encounter has surrendered to Police and is now looking for criminals, who could consolidate his eroding base in Bundu, Tamar and Arki areas and strengthen his squad.

April 15: The Jharkhand Government is facing serious trust deficit with investors since the killing of a Reliance executive on April 6 by the cadres of the TPC, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist. While Chief Minister Arjun Munda is busy trying to bring investment to the mineral-rich State, conglomerates already in business in Jharkhand are worried about crime and insurgency levels in the State. "We don't feel safe here anymore,'' said a senior official of a big corporate house. A source said employees of another company were considering withdrawing altogether from the State fearing further violence by Maoists. "The government needs to work hard to make Jharkhand investor-friendly,'' said Sanjay Srivastava, DGM, corp.com, Abhijeet Group. The Police are in a bind because of increasing numbers of Maoist splinter groups. At least seven rebel factions are involved in turf wars in the State with abductions of industrialists becoming increasingly common. "These groups terrorise each other if they tread into one another's territory,'' said a Senior Police Officer.

April 16: Two cadres of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist were arrested from the Silam area in Gumla District. Acting on a tip-off, the Police team led by Raidih Police Station OC Digvijay Singh carried out the raid. Self-styled 'area commander' Sandeep Tirkey along with one of his associates had planned to kill a contractor in the town, according to Police reports. Gumla SP N K Singh said that "Sandeep is an 'area commander' of PLFI and has been taken into custody along with one of his associates. A 9 mm pistol, five bullets, a motorcycle and mobile sets have been confiscated from the arrested persons."

April 17: The SFs killed 550 CPI-Maoist cadres and arrested 4,090 others in the past one decade in the State, Chief Minister Arjun Munda said in the State capital Ranchi. He said after the creation of the new State, Maoist activities in the form of killing and abducting for extortion and holding of kangaroo courts' went up, which is a matter of concern and the State Police was being revamped to deal with the situation. Of the 18 Maoist-affected Districts of the State 14 are seriously affected but the Planning Commission-sponsored Integrated Development Programme is being executed to isolate the militants, he said. Asked about Jharkhand's preparations for tackling the menace, Munda said, "the Government has chalked out an integrated programme under which State Police, CPMF, Central and State intelligence agencies are working in tandem." "To tackle Maoist menace, the manpower in all the 118 Police Stations of the Naxalite LWE-affected areas has been doubled," he said and added under the scheme 13,000 additional personnel have been appointed in the Police Stations.

The Jharkhand Police and the CRPF chalked out a joint strategy for an operation against the Maoists in the mineral-rich Districts.

April 17: The firing squad of the Maoists also abducted and killed Biswajit Yadav (30) and Ajay Thakur (32) in Lawadi village in Palamu District, the Police said in Medininagar. The victims were supporters of the TPC, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist. Latehar SP Kuldeep Dwivedi, also in-charge of Palamu, confirmed the incident. He said that "A poster recovered from the site of the killing prima facie suggests that Maoists killed Yadav and Thakur as the duo were supporters of TPC."

April 18: Two villagers were abducted and subsequently killed by cadres of the PLFI, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist in Khunti District. The deceased duo identified as Sukra Pahan (25) and Balram Singh (27) were abducted from their houses in Bandra village in the District in the night of April 17 and fired 13 bullets at them, killing them on the spot, SP Manoj Kaushik said.

Reports indicate that a second battalion of the CRPF will keep extra vigil in the Maoist infested Jhumra area of Bokaro District, while Dumka in Santhal Pargana, will get its first Paramilitary troopers. Announcing the two new battalions of the force, CRPF IG Alok Raj said reinforcement had become necessary because the troopers were not just fighting the Maoists in these places, but also splinter outfits like the PLFI, TPC and JPC. Currently, the CRPF has 13 battalions and two CoBRA units in the State. "Even six years ago, the Police did not dare to enter the Saranda forests in fear of Maoists. But in the past year, the CRPF entered the zone four times. The continued presence of Paramilitary Forces in Jhumra, which was once the training hub of Maoists, has dealt a severe blow to the Maoist outfit," Raj said. "While we have strengthened our base, the same has been done by Maoists in Chatra, Latehar, Palamu, Khunti and Dumka. So, the need to raise more battalions," he added.

April 19: An encounter was reported between the SFs and CPI-Maoist cadres at a transit camp of the Maoists in the Rajabasa village under Gurabanda Police Station in Ghatshila sub-division in East Singhbhum District. The SFs neutralised the transit camp of the Maoists and recovered fire arms and explosives. According to the SSP Akhilesh Jha, 100 rounds of fire were exchanged with the Maoists during the course of operation that lasted 15 minutes. Though there was no casualty, report indicated that the Maoists retreated to the West Bengal. "We have recovered country-made pistol, detonator, pipe bomb wireless set, Maoist literature, half-baked food items, dry ration, Army uniforms and polythene sheet from the site," said the SSP.

April 21: Three CPI-Maoist cadres, reported to be aides of 'zonal commander' Kundan Pahan, surrendered before SSP Praveen Kumar in Ranchi District. The surrendered Maoists are identified as Arjun Mirdha (32) Ram Lohra (19) and Sukhram Singh Munda (18). Mirdha is a resident of Ramdera village while both Lohra and Munda were residents of Huanghatu village. Mirdha is said to have joined the Maoist organisation in 2001, after being influenced by Maoist leader Nitin da. "Arjun Mirdha was also a member of the squad which had abducted and killed trader Mahesh Mahto and his brother at Sataki in Angara Police Station area in 2009," SSP Kumar said. Prodded about the reasons to surrender, Mirdha said that he was disillusioned with the Maoist ideology. Further, the SSP added that of the other two, Ram Lohra joined the rebel faction in 2007 and was actively involved in organising guerrilla meetings in villages. "Lohra received arms training in Porahat and used to carry an SLR rifle with him. He is accused of attacking a Police team in Arki in 2009 and ambushing a Police camp in Baruhatu," Kumar said. Sukhram Singh Munda, on the other hand, joined the Maoists in 2007 and was mainly engaged in arranging food for the squad members. Each of the surrendered Maoists were provided INR 50, 000 under the State Government's surrender policy.

April 23: The CPI-Maoist cadres have called for bandh in the State on today [April 23], to protest against the ongoing demolition drive in the State. In the last one-and-half months, more than 4,600 illegal structures have been demolished in the State, affecting more than 100,000 people. In the next two to three weeks, the ongoing drive, on the directive of the Jharkhand High Court, could render more than 500,000 people homeless. The Maoists have termed the demolition drive as against the poor people, alleging that it is going to help the capitalist class. "All the District Police Chiefs have been alerted in light of the Maoist shutdown called on Saturday [April 23]," a Police spokesman said. Security of railway tracks, important Government buildings and other key installations has also been beefed up.

Three cadres of the CPI-Maoist were arrested during a search operation by SFs from Bhushudih village under Tamar Police Station area in Ranchi District. The Police also recovered two claymore landmines from them. The three Maoist cadres, identified as Nandlal Lohra and Manoj Lohra of Sosokutti village and Bablu Munda of Nembo village, are associated with 'Zonal commander' Kundan Pahan, who is known as the 'Veerapan of Jharkhand.'

The bandh called by the Maoists to protest the anti-encroachment drive, evoked a mixed response in Bokaro. While it failed in and around the steel city, including Chas, Chandankyari, Chandrapura and Jaina More, the bandh had impacted Bermo sub-division, especially Nawadih and Gomia blocks. Posters supporting the Maoists were found on walls in Jarangdih, 55 kilometres from Bokaro steel city, which were later removed by SFs.

April 24: The Jharkhand State Police have come up with a new strategy to fight Naxalism (LWE) in the State. The decision was taken at a high level meeting headed by DGP GS Rath at the Police Headquarters in Ranchi. The Police would strengthen its intelligence resources and extend its reach among the rural masses to take stock of the Naxal outfits. It would make new pickets in the sensitive areas and curb the CPI-Maoist menace in the rural belt of the State.

Bokaro Police arrested Rameshwar Manjhi alias Mangra (39), a Maoist sub-zonal ‘commander’, from Bhavani forests in Nawadih block in Bokaro District. Mangra hails from Chandankurwa village of Nimiaghat in Giridih District and had joined the Maoists in 1990, when he was only 18 years old. He has served in various posts since then and was currently a sub-zonal commander, who had specialised in levy collection in Parasnath, Nimiaghat, Nawadih and their adjoining areas. More than half a dozen cases, including killing of Policemen, abduction, arms loot and planting explosives to blow up community halls and schools, are lodged against him. He was also jailed in 1994 for abducting a junior engineer in 1991. Bokaro SP Saket Singh said Mangra was named accused in a Maoist attack on a Police team at Kharki forest near Nimiaghat in 2004. Three Policemen were shot dead and six rifles were looted in that incident. In May 2003, he had also snatched away rifles from personnel of the Chandrapura RPF and later in 2009, Mangra blew up a community hall in Nawadih, the SP added.

A Maoists squad assaulted the employees of Patil Construction Company of Maharashtra, and threatened them with dire consequences, if work continued at the extension of National Highway 75 from Padwa More in Palamu District to Murisemar in Garhwa District. The 80-kilometers-long stretch of road worth INR 800 million was to be completed within 18 months. The company, in the first phase, had started digging old culverts for face-lifting but had to halt following the Maoist threat.

April 25: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed three persons, including a woman, in two separate incidents in Khunti District. According to the Police, two slained bodies, including that of a woman were recovered from Riva village. The man was identified as B. Pradhan, while the identity of woman was yet to be ascertained. In the other incident, the Maoists killed Tofique Ansari by slitting his throat in Saude village in the District. “The killing seems to be the outcome of rivalry among Maoist groups,” said a Police official.

The CPI-Maoist cadres killed Ranjan Kumar (23), a mining engineer at Chama village under Maneka Police Station in Latehar District. Kumar was working as a mining engineer at one of the collieries in North Karnapura (Dakra) area of the Central Coalfields Limited, situated at Khelari in Ranchi District, Police sources said.

April 28: Times of India reports that cadres of the PLFI, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist killed a shopkeeper, identified as Bindeshwar Sahu, at Brinda-Bahuartoli village around 10 kilometres away from Gumla District. Sahu, a resident of Koynara village was staying with his brother-in-laws in Karaundi village who runs a stone-crushing business, was demanded a levy amounting to INR 100, 000 cash by the PLFI cadres. Gumla SDPO Chandan Kumar Sinha said the Police had previously arrested Sandeep Tirkey and Gulab Gope a week ago and came to know of their plot to kill a businessman which they now suspect was Shivratan. According to Police reports, the deceased along with his two brother-in-laws went to the village where they were spotted by the PLFI cadres who opened fire on them killing Sahu on the spot.

May 2: DSP Anand Joseph Tigga was injured in crossfire during a search operation in the Sataki forest area near Silli in Ranchi District. According to the Police sources, the DSP along with his bodyguards and some CRPF troopers was out on a search operation in the area, acting upon information about movement of a few suspected Maoists carrying automatic weapons.

May 3: 11 SF personnel were killed and nearly 40 injured when CPI-Maoist cadres set off landmines in an ambush in Lohardaga District. After a tip off about Maoists having assembled there, the CRPF, Jharkhand Jaguar, JAP and DAP personnel went to Urumuru village, but returned after not finding anyone. While the SFs were returning from Urumuru the Maoists ambushed them at Dhardhariya hills under Senha Police Station in the District. "The Police had information that the Maoists were holding a meeting at Hurmu village on top of a hill, but when the Police party comprising CRPF and District Police reached the spot there was no sign of any Maoist movement," IGP, Operation R K Malik said. When the party was descending from the hill, they fell into an ambush laid by the Maoists, who had planted IED in and around an area of two kilometres, each at a distance of 1.5-2 feet, the IG said. The earlier information of the Maoist presence at Hurmu was a trap for the Police, added Mallick.

An encounter occurred between a CRPF patrol team and the Maoists in Jhumra, about 113 kilometres from Bokaro. More than 1,100 rounds were exchanged between the troopers and some 50 Maoists for over three hours. However, no casualties were reported.

Four cadres of the TPC, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Sukhdev Bhagat, Indradev Ganju, Khusihal Lohra of Harehanj village and Sanjay Oram of Chandawa village were arrested by the Police during a raid in Monger village under Sadar Police Station limits in Latehar District. Acting on a tip-off that the cadres of the TPC of an armed squad have assembled at Monger and Kedu village and were planning for an attack, the Police raided the place. On seeing the Police the TPC cadres fired and an encounter occurred between the Police and the TPC cadres, DIG Laxman Prasad Singh said. However, no casualties were reported. The Police recovered one rifle, one carbine, 11 live cartridges, three motorcycles, three mobiles phones and INR 500, 000 cash from their possession.

May 5: Three CPI-Maoist cadres were arrested from a forest area situated under Gomia Police Station Bokaro District. Acting on a tip off, the three Maoist cadres, including Vakil Mahto, sub-zonal 'commander' of the Maoists were arrested from the forest area situated around 130 kilometres from Ranchi. The identity of the other two is yet to be ascertained, the Police said. 50 kilograms of ammonium nitrate used in the making of explosives and incriminating documents were recovered from their possession, the Police added.

May 6: The cadres of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist killed a 32-year-old villager in Jharkhandi village under Bandugaon Police Station in West Singhbhum District. The deceased identified as Christopi Horo was chatting with some other villagers near a church when four PLFI cadres in motorcycles shot him dead. Police suspect Hora was killed for being a sympathiser of the rival group CPI-Maoists.

May 7: A Maoist bunker was neutralised by the SFs during search operation in Latehar District. The SFs comprising the CRPF and the District Police came across the bunker situated between two hills at Pathalkudwa forest, SP, Kuldip Diwedi said. In all 60 detonators, three cylinder bombs, four grenades, three rifles, two bundles of wire and five walkie-talkies were recovered, he added. Later, the SFs neutralised the bunker, Diwedi added.

May 8: The CPI-Maoist cadres have called for a 24-hour nationwide bandh, to protest against the arrest of three of their central committee members, Pulendu Mukherjee alias Saheb, Umesh Yadav alias Abhimanyu, and Nokhe Lal Choudhury alias Suraj Shyamji from Katihar in Bihar on April 29.

May 9: The CPI-Maoist cadres set ablaze five tractors in their bid to enforce a one-day bandh to protest the arrest of three of their leaders in Bihar, at Sohdag village in Palamau District. SP A. T. Mathew said that around 20 to 25 Maoists set ablaze five tractors and assaulted some labourers involved in the road construction work near Itki, around 140 kilometres from Ranchi.

May 10: The CPI-Maoist cadres blew up the vacant ancestral house of JMM MP Kameshwar Baitha, a former Maoist zonal 'commander' who was released on bail on May 7, in Palamau District. "A group of Maoists stuffed dynamite in the vacant house of Baitha before triggering the blast at Danchabar village in Bishrampur, about 55 kilometres from Medininagar," SP Anup Mathew said.

May 12: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist blew up a rail track in Bokaro District. "On Thursday, while enforcing a daylong shutdown, Maoists blasted a railway track between the Gomia and Dumri railway stations in Bokaro District. The track between Yogeshwar and Chenpur line was damaged following the blast," SP Saket Singh said. "One meter of the railway track was damaged. As a result, railway services were disrupted for more than six hours. We have fixed the damage and service has resumed," SP Singh added. The Maoists dropped a handwritten paper near the spot, which said that the outfit had given a 12 hour call for Jharkhand bandh to protest the arrest of its leader Uday Ji at Gomia in Bermo on May 5.

May 14: About 250 to 300 Maoist cadres including women cadres, raided the camp office of M/s ILFS & GR Infra Projects Limited at Morandih under the Hazaribagh Mufassil Police Station in Hazaribagh District, and set ablaze 30 vehicles and equipments including five Miller machines, eight Hiwas (used in road construction) and eight tankers, one Batching Plant, a DG Set, besides other equipment, SP Pankaj Kamboj, said. The Police immediately rushed to the spot and in the gunfight a constable, Anand Mohan Das, was injured and the Maoists snatched his carbine as Das got separated from the Police Force in the darkness, the SP said. The Maoist cadres, who included women clad in black uniforms, had come from Churchu and Charhi which has thick forest and has border with Jhumra hills of Bokaro District, the SP said. The Mumbai-based company was engaged in the INR 50 billion construction of four-lane on the NH-33 between Hazaribagh and Ramgarh from September 2010, the SP added.

May 15: Five cadres of the PLFI, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist were shot dead reportedly by Maoist cadres at a wedding ceremony in Loki village at Raidih in Gumla District. SP N.K. Singh said, a group of around 15 Maoist cadres dragged the five PLFI cadres, including the bridegroom and his father from the wedding function and shot them dead. The victims were identified as Gurdev Oraon, the bridegroom, and his father Cheta Oraon (50), while the others were identified as Jairam Oraon, Samar Oraon and Budu Oraon, the Police said. The incident was a fight for supremacy between the two Maoist outfits, SP Singh said, adding that Maoist cadre came in search of PLFI squad leader Mangal Nagesia but killed five of his supporters when they failed to find him. Two other cadres sustained injuries but managed to escape, sources said.

Two persons, identified as Haradhan Baske (35) and Vinay Shaw, were killed by the CPI-Maoist cadres, thinking them to be Police informers at Jhujhaka village, close to West Bengal border in Patamda, about 60 kilometres from Jamshedpur District. The victims were returning home riding on the motorcycle from Kuchai.

May 16: The four persons of a family were killed by the cadres of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, at Dakeya village in Okba panchayat under Basia Police Station in Gumla District. The PLFI cadres tied their hands and took to Karisokra forest where their throats were slit. They also fired five rounds at the incident site. The Maoists were led by Rajendra, Arjun Mahli, Gobardhan and Bale, ASP Shanni Tigga, SDPO C K Sinha, said.

The victims were identified as Jitu Badai (45), Mahesh Badai (40), Basant Badai and Shit Badai, all brothers. "About 30-35 uniform-clad assailants raided Jitu's house at 10 pm and knocked on the door. When he refused to open it, a local rebel identifying himself as Arjun Mahli asked for water. As Jitu opened the door, PLFI men caught him and took him to his younger brother Mahesh's house where two others Basant and Shit were also captured," said Alta Devi, the sister of the deceased. Alta said PLFI cadres had demanded money from her brothers.

May 17: An encounter broke out between the Maoists and SF personnel at Rairda forest in Saraikela-Kharsawan District. DIG, Kolhan, Navin Kumar Singh said the Maoists fired at the patrolling SF contingent, which included the District Police, at Burudih village. As the SF personnel returned the fire, the Maoists retreated, he added.

Three Maoists were arrested in Hazaribagh District. The arrestees, identified as Dhruva Hembram, Bhattu Manjhi and Jablu Manjhi, were arrested on a tip-off from near Konar Dam as they were meeting to discuss an attack on the Police.

May 18: Huge quantities of ammonium nitrate were recovered and one person was arrested at Dumraon village in Hazaribagh District. Acting on a tip-off, a Police team raided the house of one Kedar Bhuyan and recovered several bags of ammonium nitrate, DSP Sangeeta Kumari said. She said Bhuyan was being interrogated to ascertain whether the explosives were meant to be supplied to the CPI-Maoist to make landmines and if the arrested man had permit to store explosive materials.

Four Maoists, including a woman, were arrested by the Police from Chanduagarh village under Sena Police Station area in Lohardaga District, in connection with the Dhardhariya ambush that had killed 11 SF personnel on May 3. The arrestees are identified as Suna Kharva, Bishnu Asur, Sudhua Asur and Rehena Khatun (20), SP A V Minz said. "After interrogation they confessed involvement in the incident. It was Suna who had called up the Police that ten Maoists had congregated at Dhardhariya and a series of landmines were blasted no sooner had the team reached there," Minz said.

May 19: Three cadres of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, including a woman, were arrested from Tupudana area in Ranchi District. The arrested extremists were identified as Sonam, Victor and Manoj. A pistol, Maoist literature and some incriminating documents were recovered from them.

Two women Maoists identified as Gita Ganju and Reshmi Mahli surrendered before SSP Praveen Kumar. They were given INR 50,000 cash each under the rehabilitation policy. Both were active Maoists and were working under 'zonal commander' Kundan Pahan, also known as the 'Veerapan' of Jharkhand.

May 20: A CRPF trooper, Gulam Hussain, sustained bullet injuries when a squad of 50 CPI-Maoist cadres ambushed a paramilitary and Police team on a combing operation at Duragarha, 70 kilometres from Hazaribagh District headquarters. Barhi SDPO Arun Kumar Sinha said the search mission was launched to nab Maoist zonal commander Indal, alias Uma Bhokta. "The search party was attacked by Maoists around 8.30am. SFs retaliated. We suspect at least three rebels were also injured. However, we have not recovered any arms and ammunition from the spot," he said.

May 21: Two top cadres of the CPI-Maoist surrendered in Jharkhand, Police said. The two - one of them Viswanath Singh, the Kharwar 'zonal commander' - surrendered before Jharkhand DGP G.S. Rath. They handed over a rifle and live cartridges to Police. Singh was wanted in more than 17 cases by the police. Under the state's rehabilitation policy, Rath gave INR 50,000 cash to each of them.

May 19: Maoist leader Tilku Singh was arrested along with arms and ammunition by a Police team, said Gumla SDPO Chandan Kumar Sinha.

May 22: An attempt by the TPC, a breakaway fa to extort money from two companies, engaged by the ONGC to carry out a survey on availability of gas in its two plants at Taleswar village in Barkagaon, was foiled by an IRB trooper.

May 23: The Gumla Police arrested Gobardhan Gope, a 'commander' of Jai-Jharkhand Tiger, a new splinter group of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, during a special operation from Basia and Kamdara Police Station area in Gumla District. Gope became the kingpin of the gang after its leader Tilku Singh was arrested by a Police team, said Gumla SDPO Chandan Kumar Sinha.

May 25: Six vehicles, including three food grain-laden trucks, were set ablaze by the cadres of the CPI-Maoist on a busy State highway near Daltonganj in Palamu District. Around 40 Maoists laced with fire-arms intercepted the vehicles, asked the drivers, cleaners and passengers to get down before setting them ablaze on Medininagar-Aurangabad Road under Chhatarpur Police Station.

The Police arrested a senior Maoist leader identified as Drikdeo Paswan alias Guerrilla, 'zonal commander' from Japla railway station in the Palamu District, when he was about to catch a train for Varanasi.

Intelligence inputs report that the Maoists under the leadership of central committee member Misir Besra alias Sunirmal alias Bhaskarji is planning attacks on Security Forces in Arki, Tamar, Bundu or Chowka blocks of the State.

May 28: A suspected CPI-Maoist cadre was arrested with a bomb packed with 20 kilograms of explosives in Khunti District. The bomb was later defused, the Police said.

The Police recovered an IED from bushes near the Mosanga forest in the District. It was also defused. After a search, the Police arrested Vipin Sahu, a suspected cadre of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the Maoists, from Moranga village in the District.

May 29: Suspected cadres of the TPC, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist, set ablaze a truck, laden with tendu leaf, at Kitatsoti village in Garhwa District. According to the Police, the LWE stopped the truck and assaulted the driver before setting ablaze the vehicle.

May 31: Several highway repair projects, meant for key road links between the State capital and vulnerable Districts housing CPI-Maoist camps, are running slow because of Maoist threat, with authorities having all but given up hope about their future. Among the revamp projects worst hit are the ones on NH-75 (Ranchi-Daltonganj road), NH-99 (Chandwa-Chatra road) and NH-75E (Ranchi-Chaibasa road.

DGP G.S. Rath chose to paint a grim picture of the overall security scenario of Jharkhand and called the situation "war-like" while referring to the recent spate of Maoist attacks that targeted construction companies and their equipment as well as men in uniform. Speaking about the Maoist ambush in Lohardaga on May 3 in which 11 policemen were killed, the DGP said, "Despite being lured into a Maoist trap my boys valiantly repulsed the Naxalites and no weapons were lost." He added that though there were no trophies of victory yet, his forces had been venturing into previously inaccessible areas. "A war-like scenario is prevailing. We win some, we lose some. We are having encounters in interior areas with Naxalites," he said.

In Chatra District, another group of Maoists went to three adjoining villages and set ablaze ten tractors and five other machineries at the villages, Chatra SP Prabhat Kumar said. Denial of extortion by the contractors could be the motive behind the arson in Chatra, Kumar said.

June 1: The SFs were put on high alert after the intelligence wing reported about the diktat given by CPI-Maoist 'zonal commander' Kundan Pahan to his men, indicating a Maoist operation in the forests of Ranchi and Khunti Districts during the monsoons. "Ab samay aa gaya hai kuchh karne ka (the time has come to do something)," was the diktat from Pahan to his cadres over phone.

A woman was killed in crossfire and three CPI-Maoist cadres were injured when the Maoists engaged SF personnel in a brief gun battle at Bareda forest, about 70 kilometres from Ranchi. Additional Superintendent of Police Apoorva, who led the combing team comprising Central Reserve Police Force, Jharkhand Jaguar and District Police personnel, said they were cordoning off the forest in Tamar Police Station area around 6.10 am when a squad of 15 Maoists opened fire. The victim was identified as Neelmani Mahto (55), a local villager. A 9mm pistol with four rounds, three mobile handsets and four SIM cards were recovered from the encounter site.

Maoists set ablaze a Bolero, three trucks and two costly machinery in Lohardaga District, the Police said. "Suspected Maoists torched a Bolero, three trucks and two costly machinery engaged at Pakhar Bauxite Mining in Lohardaga District this morning [June 1]," Lohardaga Superintendent of Police (SP) Asim Vikrant Minz said. The vehicles and equipment belonged to Atul Agarwal, who had taken a contract from HINDALCO, he said.

June 2: Three CPI-Maoist cadres were killed and as many Policemen were injured in a gunfight at Murhu in Khunti District. The gunfight ensued when a group of Maoists attacked a Police escort party at Murhu to snatch rifles from them near a bank, IGP S. N. Pradhan said. Pradhan did not rule out the possibility of Maoists' plan to loot the SBI branch. Police inspector P. K. Mishra told newsmen at Khunti, that about 30 Maoists were involved in the attack and managed to take away three rifles of the injured policemen before fleeing the spot.

SSP Praveen Kumar Singh confirmed that Police have information to suggest that Maoists are eyeing urban youths from the people displaced in the recent eviction drives across the State as prospective recruits.

June 3: Six Maoists, including a woman, who were arrested for their foiled attempt to the loot SBI branch at Murhu in Khunti District on June 2, were forwarded to jail on June 4.

June 4: Jharkhand Police spokesperson S. N. Pradhan said a brief encounter with the cadres of the CPI-Maoist took place near Kochang village under Arki Police Station of Khunti District earlier in the evening. Pradhan said Maoists had gathered near Kochang village after which an anti-Maoist operation was launched. However, no casualty was reported from either side despite more than 200 rounds were fired from each side.

CRPF DG K. Vijay Kumar, spent an impromptu night with troopers at the remote Labhor camp in Maoist-infested Garu jungles of Latehar District while making a surprise visit.

June 6: A group of cadres of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, lead by it 'sub-zonal commander' Mangal Nagesia shot dead three persons, said to be Maoist supporters, at Jamgai village of Gumla District, Police said. The victims were identified as Gandura Oraon, Sukra Oraon and Somnath Oraon. The incident is suspected to be a revenge killing as five of PLFI cadres were killed by Maoists during a marriage reception function at Loki village, about half a kilometre from Jamgai on May 15.

Three handmade missiles and one manual missile launcher were recovered by the Police from a Maoist hideout at Oraien village in Latehar District.

The CPI-Maoist issued fresh warnings to youths at the villages of Huntergunj block in Chatra District, threatening them with dire consequences if they work as Police informers. The posters that were stuck on boundary walls of houses and at market places in the villages of Nawadih, Punari, Bhojpur, Julia and Khutikewal asked young men to banish even the thought of working as SPOs. DSP in Chatra Amber Lakra admitted that the department had engaged village youths to work for them as SPOs, but refused to divulge their numbers.

The CPI-Maoist cadres used earthmovers to destroy a school building in Chatra District. According to eyewitnesses, around 150 Maoists, clad in guerrilla fatigue and armed with semi-automatic weapons, led three bulldozers, which were being used to dig a pond in a nearby cluster, into Kaura village in Pratappur block around 6.30 pm. They held around 40 people in the Kaura market at gunpoint and directed them to turn off mobile phones if any. While the villagers watched, the Maoists commanded the drivers of the earthmovers to pull down every brick of the 10-room Kaura Government High School building. SDPO S.A. Rizwi confirmed the Maoist attack, saying 'area commander' Ajay Ganjhu led the operation. However, no one was injured in the incident.

Two cadres of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, were arrested from Sunkunda village under Basia Police Station of Gumla District. Those arrested were identified as Kuleshwar Singh and Somri Devi. Three rifles and 28 rounds of ammunition were recovered from them.

June 7: An 'area commander' of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Ramcharan Singh, carrying a reward of INR 50,000 on his head was shot dead by some unidentified armed assailants in Kedli forest under Burmu Police Station in Ranchi District. According to reports he had an ongoing conflict with TPC regarding 'levy collection' and had escaped many attempts on his life. However, no outfit has so far claimed responsibility for the killing.

June 9: Two CPI-Maoist cadres including a women, identified as 'sub-zonal commander' Prakash Rana, alias Samardeep and Anjali Hembram, surrendered with a pistol and a rifle before Police in Giridih District. The surrendered Maoists also handed over INR one million that they collected as "levy". While Rana is a resident of Chandmundi in Jamui District of Bihar, Hembram hailed from Tilaya under Giridih District. Rana, who was involved in recent blowing up a Police jeep in Jamui, was wanted in connection with nine cases in Jharkhand and Bihar, Police said.

June 12: Cadres of the CPI-Maoist exchanged fire with the CRPF for about an hour in Alipa village under Pratappur Police Station of Chatra District.

A 23-year-old CPI-Maoist cadre, wanted in four cases of possession of illegal firearms and attack on Police officers, surrendered before the officer-in-charge of Bundu Police Station in Ranchi District.

June 14: The Police recovered 46 rounds of ammunition, two letter pads and 50 metres of fuse wire used in landmine explosions by CPI-Maoist cadres from under a hay stack at Anandpur Toroa Toli about 70 kilometres from Ranchi in the Kisku Police Station area in Lohardaga District. SP Asim Vikrant Minz said they had acted on a tip-off. "Out of 46 rounds of ammunition, 43 is of 306mm bore used in single-shot rifle while three are of 9mm bore used in pistols," the SP said. OIC of Kisku Police Station Munu Tudu agreed, saying the letter pad bore the old name of the banned outfit. "The letter pad is printed in Hindi. Maovadi Community Centre is written on it," the OIC said.

June 15: Around 15 to 20 CPI-Maoist cadres stopped three coal-laden trucks near Kalyanpur Kata village of Chatra District and set ablaze the trucks. The drivers were brutally beaten up by the Maoists. The refusal of coal businessmen to meet the extortion demands can be the reason behind the incident, Police said.

High alert has been sounded in the State ahead of 24-hour bandh called by Maoist to protest the arrest of their erstwhile politburo leader Jagdish Master in Gaya District of Bihar on June 12.

June 16: The CPI-Maoist cadres in a bid to blow up the railway tracks were able to damage only two slabs near the Mohammadganj Railway Station in Palamau District, during the 24-hour bandh called in Jharkhand, Bihar and north Chhattisgarh.

The Maoists set ablaze a generator set of a mobile tower of a private telecom company in the District, SP Anup T Mathew said.

About 40 to 50 armed CPI-Maoist cadres blew up Lohiya Samta High School building at Ketar village under the Bhawnathpur Police Station area of Garhwa District. "The incident was carried out under the leadership of the Maoist inter-state zonal head Munna Vishwakarma," sources said, adding that the Maoists had arrived at Bhawnathpur from Bihar's Navhata-Chutia Police Station area after crossing river Sone. "The Maoists used three can bombs containing ammonium nitrate," said Garhwa SP Richar Lakra. Sources also said that construction of a Police Station at Ketar was under process. When the Maoists came to know that the action plan to set up a Police Station, they blew up the school building to register their presence in the area.

June 17: The CPI-Maoist cadres set ablaze two vehicles and machinery of a drilling company in Latehar District. About 50 Maoists went to Parsahi village in the wee hours and set ablaze to a truck, a jeep and two drilling machines of the R K Drilling company engaged in survey of mines, the Police said. Non-payment of extortion was said to be the reason behind the arson.

June 19: On condition of anonymity, a senior Police officer claimed that the State Government is not concerned about the Security of surrendered Maoists and is not implementing welfare schemes meant for their families.

June 20: An armed squad of over 70 CPI-Maoist blew up railway tracks and trapped a pilot engine with two RPF Policemen, killing one of them in a bid to loot weapons, between Dumri-Bihar and Dania railway stations near Jhumra Hills in Bokaro District. According to senior public relations officer of the Dhanbad Rail Division, Amrendra Das, the RPF Policeman killed was identified as Anil Kumar Rai. His colleague, B. Chand, along with engine driver S. Mahto and his assistant N. Mehta were injured. Later the Maoists set ablaze the engine, he said.

June 23: A local court sentenced four CPI-Maoist cadres to death, for the Chilkari massacre in which former Jharkhand Chief Minister Babulal Marandi's son was among 19 people killed. The four Maoists were identified as Chhatrapati Mandal, Manoj Rajwar, Jitan Marandi and Anil Ram.

June 24: The CPI-Maoist posters appealing to boycott the by-election scheduled for July 1, for the Jamshedpur Lok Sabha seat, were found in Ghorabandha area of Ghatshila tehsil in East Singhbhum District.

June 25: SF personnel detected and defused four landmines suspected to be planted by CPI-Maoist cadres at Hatnaburu in West Singhbhum District. The landmines, weighing an average 15 kilograms each, were planted in four different places under a kutcha road deep inside Saranda forest targeting the SF, SP A. K. Singh said.

June 26-29: Three CPI-Maoist camps were neutralized during the three-day operation that was launched in Saranda forest in West Singhbhum District. 17 suspected Naxalites, including four women, were detained and over 200 kilograms of explosives seized in the operation. The operation team engaged the Maoists in an encounter near Chadra village in the evening of June 28. The offensive was launched on June 26 midnight after arrested Maoist Nirmal Jharia on June 18 tipped the SFs off about Maoist training camps being run in the forest.

June 27: Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist set ablaze to a tanker and another vehicle of a Kolkata-based construction company at Dhabatand in Giridih District for allegedly refusing to pay extortion, Police said. The construction company, which has been laying road between Giridih-Dumri, had refused to pay extortion, sources said.

Maoists have threatened to kill 40 people to take revenge for the death penalty awarded last week to four of their comrades by a Giridih court, Police said.

Director General of Police G. S. Rath said that opium cultivation in the State is being done under the patronage of Maoists.

June 28: CPI-Maoist cadres shot dead a former top-ranked cadre for snapping ties with the outfit in Giridih District, Police said. Munda had moved away from the CPI-Maoist following a dispute over distribution of extortion money in the ranks of the Maoists, he added.

The CoBRA of the CRPF destroyed two Maoist camps in a combing operation at the Saranda forest in West Singhbhum District.

June 29: Through posters put up in Latehar District, Maoists have invited displaced people to join their cadre, Police said. The posters invited people to join the CPI-Maoist's PLGA.

Suspected CPI-Maoist cadres killed an 'area commander' of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, at Kolambi-Dipatoli village in Gumla District. The slain 'area commander' was identified as Chhotka Gop.

Coinciding with the Lok Sabha by-election in Jamshedpur, the Maoists have declared a 24-hour state-wide bandh from midnight of June 30 to protest against the death penalty awarded to four Maoists for the 2007 Chilkhari massacre.

July 1: At least three CPI-Maoist cadres were killed when SFs, including CoBRA personnel, attacked Maoist 'zonal commander' Ajay Mahto's 35 cadre-strong squad at a place between rugged hills and dense forests near Telaiya village in Hazaribagh District. After the Maoists fled, a combing operation in the area yielded INR 6.90 lakh in cash, a large numbers of uniforms, utensils, food grain, medicines, a 9-mm pistol, four live cartridges and 14 empty cartridges of AK-47.

Over 100 Maoists set ablaze five dumpers and an earthmover belonging to a private contractor engaged in excavation of bauxite for Hindalco Industries Limited, an aluminium manufacturing company at Pakhar mines under Kisko Police Station in Lohardaga District, the Police said.

Polling in Maheshpur in Ghatsila sub-divison was disrupted for a while after CPI-Maoist cadres fired in the air to scare away voters during the Jamshedpur Parliamentary by-polls.

On the direction of the Election Commission, an FIR was filed with the Sakshi Police Station in Jamshedpur against Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantric) [JVM-P] party candidate Ajay Kumar after a rival candidate complained of having an audio CD where Kumar is purportedly "conversing with a Maoist leader" to garner votes for Jamshedpur Lok Sabha by poll.

The CPI-Maoist regional committee secretary Samarji called for a bandh on July 4, the day Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram is to arrive in Ranchi to talk about anti-Naxal operations. "The bandh has been called to protest against the ongoing operations against the poor and marginalized tribals, especially in the Saranda forests, both by Jharkhand and Orissa governments," Samarji Said. He even warned Chidambaram to pull out the security forces from the jungles in Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

July 4-6: The SF during an encounter in the Sarju-Gotag hills axis under Latehar Police Station neutralised a training camp of the CPI-Maoist in Koel Sank Zone and recovered IED and indigenous arms factories spread over an area of two square kilometres. The SF also recovered around three tones of explosives, chemicals and parts of weapons. The recoveries also included books on making IEDs, chemical formulas and over 20 sacks of ammonium nitrates and other materials. The SFs also recovered a blueprint of May 3, 2011 Lohardaga serial IED blasts in which 11 Police personnel were killed. "The blueprint was recovered from the indigenous IED factory where real time testing of explosives was done," said Jharkhand Police spokesperson S. N. Pradhan.

The camp, considered the backbone of Naxalism in Bihar and Jharkhand, often remained guarded with over 100 Maoists and more than 500 IED were planted on the routes to the camp. The camp which falls under the Koel Sankh Zone, and spreads through Palamu, Garhwa, Latehar, Lohardaga, Gumla, Gaya, Aurangabad and Northern Districts of Chhattisgarh is considered the richest of the Maoists zones in Bihar and Jharkhand.

July 5: Four former cadres of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, who broke away to form their own group, were arrested after a brief gun-fight at Turiamba village in Gumla District. One of the four, Kuldip Sahu, was hit in the leg and the others Aditya Gop, Dilip Gop and Badal Gop were arrested after the brief encounter during a Police raid, SP Narendra Kumar, said. A rifle, 16 round of ammunition, five mobile sets and two motor-bikes were recovered from them, he said.

The Police arrested a Maoist, identified as Gobardhan Rai, who carried a head money of INR 30,000 and was wanted in several cases in Dumka District, SP, Hemant Toppo said. Following a tip-off, Rai was arrested from Kulkanth forest under Kathikund Police Station in the District. Rai had joined the Maoists in 2004.

DG of CRPF K. Vijay Kumar endorsed deploying of four additional paramilitary battalions to fight the CPI-Maoist and other LWE outfits in Jharkhand. A couple of multipurpose MI-17 helicopters and INR 1.5 billion for upgrade of 75 Police Stations is also expected to add teeth to the State's Maoist combat apparatus. Currently, the State has 13 CRPF battalions and two battalions of special striking force CoBRA to battle Maoists in 18 of the 24 Districts. "The CRPF DG has agreed to our demand for four additional battalions. We aim to deploy the forces in areas bordering Odisha, Bihar and West Bengal," State Police spokesperson S.N. Pradhan said. Pradhan said the Union Home Ministry had agreed to fund the upgrade of 75 Police Stations - at the rate of INR 20 million each - in two phases. The Centre is also ready to provide the services of two combat helicopters, expectedly of the MI-17 category, for anti-Naxalite operations, Pradhan added.

July 6: A Maoist leader in the Panchparganiya area, identified as Heera Singh Munda (50), and Etwa Mahali, a 15-year-old Maoist courier, were arrested from a forest area under Bundu Police Station in Ranchi District. During the interrogation, the arrestees confessed to have hidden 310 explosive boosters at Aradih forest. Later, the Ranchi Police recovered the 310 explosive boosters hidden in the natural bunker.

A Maoist, identified as Sanjay Singh Munda (21), surrendered before the Police at Bundu Police Station in the District. Munda hailed from Lungtu village in Bundu and was wanted in nearly six Maoist cases. Munda joined the Maoist outfit at the age of 13. He has also worked actively in spreading the influence of Maoism and was an active cadre of the Kundan Pahan squad, the Police said. However, elsewhere it was reported that the surrendered Maoist is Nishant, who was active in Saranda forests of West Singhbhum District for over last four years.

July 8: The CPI-Maoist dubbed the State Government's move of amending the Chhotanagpur Tenancy Act (CNT) and the Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act (SPT) as a "conspiracy against the poor" and appealed to all the tribals to oppose the move. The Maoists, in a release issued to the media in Dumka District, stated that the proposed amendment by the Government was part of a greater conspiracy planned by the State to help facilitate bureaucrats, industrialists and other outsiders to usurp tribal lands. "There has been a rampant violation of the CNT and the SPT acts and a large portion of tribal lands have already been grabbed. Now, by bringing in the amendments, the State wants to legalise the purchase and sale of ancestral lands that had been brought into effect by the British government to safeguard the rights of the tribals," Maoist spokesperson Sonotji was quoted as saying in the release. "The tribals should hold rallies, seminars and public meetings to oppose the state's move. The newly elected panchayat representatives will have a vital role to play in opposing the proposed amendment," the release said.

July 9: Lalpur Police arrested a Maoist-breakaway PLFI cadre identified as Vijay Sahu, who hails from Marchu village under Murhu Police Station area, from Burdwan compound area in the District. The Police were trying to verify the cases lodged against him under Khunti Police Station.

July 10: The cadres of the PLFI, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist killed two civilians identified as Dileep Singh and Bittu Singh by slitting their throats in Chatra District, charging them with being Police informers. According to police, PLFI cadres abducted the duo from their village late in the night of July 7 and brought them before a Jan Adalat' (people's court), where they were sentenced to death and both were killed there.

Ranchi Police arrested two Maoist-breakaway PLFI cadres with arms and ammunition from Lapung Police Station area in Ranchi District. Vikas Kumar Sahu and Deepak Kumar Singh were arrested by the Lapung Police following a tip-off from the forest area. While Sahu hails from Khunti District, Singh belongs to Gumla District. "A country-made pistol and four bullets were also seized from their possession," said SP (rural) Michael S Raj adding that both the cadres would be forwarded to custody on July 11. Police also recovered two cell phones through which the duo used to make calls to local businessmen for money.

The Union Home Ministry decided to deploy two MI-17 helicopters in Jharkhand by next month. In a high level meeting on July 8, the ministry decided that two multipurpose MI-17 helicopters be deployed in the State for assistance in anti-Naxalite operations. Currently, the State has two Dhruv helicopters of the BSF for anti-Naxalite operations and another similar chopper, purchased by the State Government from the Police modernization funds, is under maintenance at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Bangalore for the past six months. The BSF Dhruv helicopters are often used for survey and rescue operation during the anti-Naxalite operations. On July 7, Director General of Police G S Rath surveyed the forests in Latehar District where Security Forces neutralised the headquarters of Koel Sankh zone of CPI-Maoist.

Four battalions of the CRPF, approved by Union home minister P Chidambaram during his meeting with the DGP on July 4, is also likely to be deployed in the state very soon. "The four battalions could be deployed any day. First an induction programme of eight week will be done and then the jawans will be deployed in the state," said Police spokesperson SN Pradhan, also the IG (special branch), adding that the CRPF companies were likely to be deployed on the borders of Odisha, West Bengal and Bihar.

July 10: A local contractor-cum-trader was killed by cadres of the PLFI, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist, at his shop in Patratoli village of Raidih Police Station in Gumla District. The victim, identified as Baleshwar Sahu (45), had a grocery shop at Patratoli adjacent to Raidih Police Station. A note left behind by the PLFI bearing the name of 'area commander' Durjan Singh alias Amar was found at the spot read that Sahu was killed because he did not pay INR 500, 000 to the outfit. Sahu a resident of Sanyakona village had shifted with his family to Patratoli.

July 11: The Maoist cadres dug deep trenches at seven different locations along two major roads connecting two villages Sidki Satvahini and Kaura-Ghorighat under Pratappur Police Station area in Chatra District. According to sources, the Maoists using JCB machines dug trenches and cut the link roads during the late hours from 8pm till mid-night. Due to the destruction of the roads the traffic from Gaya District in Bihar and around 50 villages of the District got disrupted.

During a three-day tour, CRPF DG K Vijay Kumar visited frontal CRPF camps in the State at Lodhai village in the dense Saranda forest of West Singhbhum and Churchu in Hazaribagh District. He appreciated the efforts of troopers and officials who were involved in the operation which neutralised the headquarters of Koel Sankh zone of CPI-Maoist in Latehar on July 4-6. "The Latehar operation was the one of the best coordinated ones with the District Police that led to huge success. More similar operations will be carried out in other parts of the State," said Kumar.

July 12: CPI-Maoist cadres carried out a blast at the house of one of the dissenters, their 'commander', Upendra Rai, in Pilpra village in Palamu District, in order to keep away several Maoists who had decided to move out and start their own outfits or join another group.

Four suspected Maoists were arrested from separate places in Garhwa District. Following a tip-off, the Police arrested Jamuna Gupta (30), Raj Kumar Gupta (32), Dukhi Singh Kharwar (31) and Satyendra Singh (35) from neighbouring villages of Galiari-Khurk and Galilari-kala villages under Dhurki Police Station, DSP Ashok Kumar said. Two country-made rifles, a pistol, six bullets, four mobile handsets, some unfinished materials for making country-made guns and INR 1800 were recovered from their possession. The Guptas were accused of being in the Maoist firing squad which attacked the Dhurki Police Station in 2009. The other two men were part of the Maoist firing squad and reportedly helped them to procure weapons and the ones allegedly found from their possession were supposed to cost INR 70,000, Kumar added.

July 13: The Police on a tip-off arrested Sanjay Khalko, a cadre of the TPC, the break-away faction of the CPI-Maoist from the roadside hotel at the Birhu check post in Hazaribagh District. Khalko, a resident of Hadiyo village under the Simaria Police Station of Chatra District was wanted by the Katkamsandi, Hazaribagh and Simaria (Chatra) Police.

A Maoist cadre identified as Sukhram Lohra (35) wanted in eight cases of Maoist violence, surrendered before SSP Praveen Kumar at his office in Ranchi District. Lohra, a resident of Reda village had joined Kisan Krantikari Committee (KKC) under the influence of Dassam 'area commander' Haripada Munda in 1995. He was later recruited as a member of Ram Mohan's armed squad in 2005. As a member of the KKC, it was his job to provide logistic support to the other cadres while as a squad member he used to attack Police and other Security Force personnel at the order of his seniors.

July 14: In a joint operation by the Bermo Police and the CRPF, recovered one can bomb, three local-made bombs, 36 cartridges, one gun, one tarpaulin, one uniform and six bags which the CPI-Maoist had hidden in a bunker just 4 kilometres away from Jhumra hill near Lalgarh village in Bokaro District. Acting on a tip-off, the joint team of SF personnel conducted the raid and seized the cartridges of different bores wrapped in plastic bags. Later, the Police arrested a Maoist cadre identified as Balo Manjhi, who revealed the Maoist plan to capture Luggupahari hills.

July 15: A cadre of the TPC, a break-away faction of the CPI-Maoist, was reportedly killed by CPI-Maoist cadres at Etko village in Palamu District. A group of Maoists dragged Guddu Khan (26) out of his house and shot him dead a little distance away allegedly for being involved with TPC. The Maoists also left a hand-written chit owning the responsibility, SP Anup T Mathew said.

July 16: Three JPC, a splinter group of the CPI-Maoist, cadres, identified as Kalam Ansari, Asfar Ansari and Ravindra Bhuiyan, were arrested and six weapons, including three rifles, were recovered from them during raids in Palamu District. Kalam was arrested from Gurha village. Following his arrest, the other two Asfar and Ravindra were arrested from Siknee village under the Panki Police Station. Police also recovered four cell phones and a uniform.

July 17: Separately, the SF arrested two suspected Maoists in the forest on the Palamu-Chatra border touching Bihar during an operation code named as 'Blue Moon' in Ranchi District. The SFs recovered three country made guns, one flash gun, one Motorola walky talky, pistols, uniforms, utensils, backpacks, Maoist literatures and large number of live ammunition from them.

July 18: A person, identified as Karma Sahu, was killed by suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist in Simdega District. The dead body of Sahu was recovered in Genmer-Chandsai village in the morning, the SP Anup Birthare said.

July 22: Acting on a tip off those CPI-Maoist cadres were camped at a forest and designing plans for an attack, the CRPF and the Jharkhand Police launched a combing operation in Tamar and Bundu areas, about 70 kilometres from State capital Ranchi. Three clamour mines, each weighing 20 kilogrammes, and two landmines weighing 15 kilogrammes each, a country-made gun, 67 double boosters, two wireless sets and 24 bullets, and a total of 308 gelatine sticks were recovered during the anti-Maoist operation, SP (Ranchi Rural), S Michael Raj said.

The Police have registered a case against Gulach Munda, a Maoist squad leader of Ghorabandha for raping a 30-year-old physically challenged woman nine months ago in East Singhbhum District. The case was registered two days ago against Munda after the victim lodged a complaint with the Police, SP (Rural) Ranjit Prasad said.

The Jharkhand Police are planning to change strategy to arrest Maoist leader Kundan Pahan, the alleged killer of Ramesh Singh Munda, a Janata Dal United MLA and two Police officers, including Special Branch Inspector Francis Indwar, in 2009. "There is a lot of work to be done. The areas where Kundan Pahan operates are populated ones, and the police have to take the utmost care in protecting the civilians during their operation against Pahan," the DGP, G S Rath, said.

A woman CPI-Maoist cadre identified as Sunita Kumari alias Shanti surrendered before the Police in Lohardaga District. Lohardaga SDPO Ram Gulam Sharma said Kumari went to stay at her sister's place form where she was abducted by the Maoists and forcefully taken to Chhattisgarh. After getting trained, she was brought back and was involved in activities like murder, burning and destroying buildings, laying down landmines.

July 21: The CPI-Maoist cadres killed Anil Oraon (24), a resident of Lai village in Garu, and Arun Yadav (35) of Kone village under Sadar Police Station, branding them as Police informers in a kangaroo court held at Sarju forests in Latehar District. Again, the Maoist kangaroo court was held on July 23, and three persons identified as Ashok Oraon (20) of Patratu village in Garu, Rajendra Oraon (22) of Lai and Bhola Oraon (20) of Gotang village in Garu, were told not to leave their respective villages for two years. Pappu Lohra (30), a resident of Kone village, however managed to escape from the clutches of the Maoists. "The six were abducted on July 20 from their villages at gunpoint. While the killings took place after a kangaroo court on July 21 night, three were banned from leaving their villages two days later," a source said. Deenbandhu, North Koel Sankh zone spokesperson of the Maoists, was quoted as saying, "Those punished were branded as paid police informers who helped in 'Operation Parakram' against Maoists from July 2 to July 7, in which a training camp and a gun factory were destroyed".

Intelligence reports claim that nine of members of the firing squad of Jharkhand's 'most wanted' Maoist Kundan Pahan have deserted him. Tulsidas alias Vishal, the main cadre of Pahan's squad, went away along with eight other associates and said to be hiding somewhere under Tamar Police Station, the reports said.

July 24: The DGP, G S Rath claimed that the response to 'Operation Nai Disha' to lure back LWE into the mainstream has been very successful and many more extremists are in the pipeline to surrender. 'Operation Nai Disha' was launched last year. Rath said the response is encouraging and morale boosting. For the first time, 32 extremists turned in with regular weapons.

July 27: Police arrested an 'area commander' of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Dilip Oraon, and four of his squad members from Kotam village in Gumla District.

July 28: A suspected woman cadre of the CPI-Maoist, believed to be close aide of Maoist leader Kundan Pahan, was arrested in Khunti District. Rupa alias Silisiya was arrested from Kamanta basti under Khunti Police Station of the District.

July 29: The CPI-Maoist forcefully acquired over 100 acres of land in Latehar District and threatened to kill those who dare to carry out any sort of activity on the land. The Maoists put up the posters throughout the nearby village debarring villages from carrying out any kind of activity on the acquired land.

July 31: Four cadres of the CPI-Maoist were killed in an encounter with SFs in Garu Police Station area of Latehar District. One trooper of the CoBRA was also injured in the encounter. A joint team of CRPF and State Police, led by IG Ranchi, Rezi Dungdung, raided the area and made huge recoveries including weapons and ammunitions.

A 'zonal commander' of the Kauleshwari zone of the, identified as Rajdeo Yadav alias Akela, was arrested from the forest in Rajpur-Kanhachatti region of Chatra District during an operation. Police seized arms and documents from him. Details about several Maoist cases in Hazaribagh and Chatra Districts and parts of Bihar in Gaya District were also found on his possession.

August 2: Two CRPF personnel were injured in an encounter with the CPI-Maoist cadres at Thalkobad in West Singhbhum District. The encounter took place during regular patrolling in the Maoist-hit areas of the District. Superintendent of Police A. K. Singh claimed that some Maoists also sustained injuries in the encounter.

August 6: An armed squad of the CPI-Maoist comprising nine to 10 cadres raided a railway construction site at Posaita near Chakradharpur in West Singhbhum District and set ablaze seven construction equipments between 1am and 2am (local time). The vehicles - three dumpers, three earthmovers and a vibrator roller - were engaged on a project to widen railway tracks between Chakradharpur and Manoharpur. Police described the incident as a Maoist ploy to distract Security Forces engaged in operations in neighbouring Saranda forests.

Maoists set on fire two buses at Kedeg village of Gumla District. The buses were unoccupied when they were set ablaze.

The Patna Police had a brief exchanged fire with Maoists near Matachak village at Naukhaup under Imamganj Police Station in Gaya District when the Police team that had gone to the village to arrest a criminal chanced upon a Maoist squad. Both sides exchanged 12 to 15 rounds. However, no one was injured in the incident.

A CPI-Maoist 'area commander', identified as James Murmu, who was arrested on August 4 in Jharkhand, revealed that the Maoists are planning to target Mohammad Bazar station in the bordering Birbhum District of West Bengal and SFs guarding coal-laden trucks in neighbouring Pakur.

August 9: A joint team of CRPF and Police unearthed two bunkers of the CPI-Maoist and recovered 17 landmines and 30 kilograms of explosives hidden in them in Checharia forest in Giridih District. Maoist posters and other material were also recovered from the bunkers which were later dismantled.

Two CPI-Maoist cadres, identified as, Satish alias Shankar Oraon and Mahesh, were arrested during a raid in Simdega. A total of 25 gelatine sticks, a locally-made pistol, bullets, six electronic detonators, a motorcycle, three mobile sets, INR 2,400 and 25 sheets of Maoist notes were recovered from them.

A Maoist, who was accused of an attack on Babulal Marandi when the latter was the CM in 2002, surrendered before the Giridih SP. "Babumani, who hails from Gaganpur village in Bihar's Jamui District, has surrendered. He deposited a gun and a bullet," Giridih SP A. V. Homkar said.

The 24-hour bandh called by the CPI-Maoist against the ongoing operations by SFs in the Maoist-hit zones badly hit mining operations and lives of people in the rural areas. However, it had a partial impact in urban areas. The Maoists have even threatened to call an indefinite economic blockade across the State if the SFs continue their operation. Sources from the mining industry revealed that operations were crippled owing to the bandh, especially in West Singhbhum and some parts of Lohardaga, Gumla and Ramgarh.

August 12: The BSF pilots flying choppers for anti-Maoist operations in Jharkhand have complained about the poor condition of helipads in remote areas, citing serious safety issues during landing and take-off. According to sources, most of the helipads did not conform to CAR standards.

August 15: At least four cadres of the CPI-Maoist were shot at in an encounter with the CRPF personnel when their camp was attacked by the Maoist cadres at Rania in Khunti District. "At least four Maoists were shot at during the strong retaliatory action by the security forces, beating down the Maoists attack on CRPF camp immediately after the flag hoisting ceremony at Rania," SP Manoj Kaushik said. He said the Security men saw blood stains at several places during search operation and found out that at least four Maoists were hit by bullets and were dragged away by their retreating associates. About 200 bullets were exchanged during the encounter before Maoists retreated into the forests, the official said. However, there was no casualty on the CRPF side, he added.

August 16: SFs recovered Vitamins, health drinks, tea bags, condoms and uniforms in huge quantities as they busted sixth CPI-Maoist camp inside Saranda forest in West Singhbhum District. SFs have been carrying out anti-Maoist operations inside Saranda forest for more than a fortnight now. Kolhan DIG, Naveen Kumar Singh conceded that they had begun fine-tooth combing in Saranda since July 31, but refused to divulge any further. "Operations are going on in Saranda. Nothing more can be said at the moment". He added that the Maoist cadres too had a strong intelligence network and would have hoodwinked the raiding party if the operation had been made public earlier.

August 17: Two CPI-Maoist cadres and four other under trials pulled a gun on an assistant jailer, Rama Shankar Prasad to flee from Seraikela divisional prison in Seraikela-Kharsawan District. The incident took place around 5.30 pm, soon after the prisoners were escorted back to jail after being produced in Seraikela court. According to sources in the jail, one of the two Maoists, Balram Sahu alias David, managed to procure a pistol from his associate, Somra Hansda while being produced in court. David and the other rebel, Hansda, had been arrested from Chowka Police Station area two years ago.

The SFs had come across a Maoist training camp. "The camp was spread on around five acres and had more than 50 watch towers and huge caches of explosives were found," said SP Singh.

CPI-Maoist leader Balram Sahu alias David (28) escaped from Saraikela jail in Jharkhand to consolidate the crumbling fortress of Jharkhand's most wanted Maoist 'commander', Kundan Pahan. David is considered as one of the trusted lieutenants of Kundan.

August 19: SFs recovered three IED from Nuagaon village in the West Singhbhum District, on the Jharkhand-Odisha border. SFs also recovered around 100 metres of wire used in triggering blasts and one iron box containing literature and other books. "The forces are scanning the whole forest and are trying to flush out the Maoists. Every day we are getting some success or other," said West Singhbhum SP Arun Kumar Singh.

August 20: The Jharkhand Police are planning to take CPI-Maoist 'zonal commander' Shiv Munda alias Prashant on their remand for interrogation. Prashant alias Lambu was considered the second in command in the CPI-Maoist hierarchy controlling the Saranda forest and was responsible for collection of most of the money as well as training programmes. He was arrested by Rourkela (Odisha) Police along with two women Maoists, Kiran and Badera of Platoon 22 on august 11. Police had also recovered INR 7.5 million collected as ransom and a pistol from him.

Suspected Maoist cadres shot dead a Headmaster of a Government school at Chandni Chowk in Saraikela-Kharswan District. The victim, Indra Kumar Sao, who had a grocery shop on Chowka-Kandra Road, was at his shop when three motor-cycle borne youths arrived and one of them pumped in three bullets, the sources said. Confirming the incident, SP Abhisekh Kumar said the possibility of Maoists involvement behind the incident could not be ruled out.

A major disaster was averted when the SFs detected 20 IEDs in the Gaganpur area in Latehar District.

Three cadres of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, were arrested by the Police in Gumla. Police also recovered INR 20,000 in cash and two cell-phones, extorted from a businessman, from them. The arrested cadres were identified as Sanjay Ekka of Raidih and Sundar Pal Singh of Balidowa and Ramlal Bhagat of Natawal in Chainpur.

August 21: A woman Maoist cadre was arrested along with cash, arms and ammunition at Manoharpur in Maoist-hit West Singhbhum District. "Acting on a tip-off, she was apprehended with INR 400,000, a 9 mm pistol and 12 rounds of cartridges," SP, A K Singh said.

Around 50 prisoners, including 12 Maoist cadres, sat on a dharna from 10am to 5pm at the Birsa Munda Central Jail on August 20 and skipped their lunch, showing solidarity with Anna Hazare. The Maoist cadre, Jeeten Marandi, who has been sentenced to death for the Chilkhari massacre led the protest.

After the Union and State Governments jointly launched the Operation Green Hunt against the Maoist cadres in Jharkhand, SFs have been facing different problems including the deadly malaria. Spread across a swathe of 700 hills in Jharkhand and Odisha, Saranda forests are considered a 'malaria zone'. Singh added, "All the troopers deployed at Saranda have been provided with a PF (Plasmodium Falciparum) kit. The basic problem is that we are scanning the area on foot and not by car. This is why the jawans are more vulnerable to the diseases found in the area.

Ghatshila Police arrested a suspected woman CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Gauri, in the East Singhbhum District. She is reportedly an accused in two murder cases in Dianmari village and suspected to be a key member of the local squad active in this area.

August 22: A probe by State Prison authorities on the August 17 Seraikela divisional jail breakout revealed that two hi-tech devices installed to block cell-phone signals failed to sieve transmissions due to which taking advantage six criminals, including Maoist leader, Balaram Sahu, alias David escaped from the Chaibasa divisional jail in West Singhbhum District.

The SFs shot dead a CPI-Maoist cadre as they neutralised a training camp near Baliba village inside the Saranda forest in West Singhbhum District. Five IED, one generator, a motorcycle and weapon components were also recovered from the training camp. SP, West Singhbhum, A K Singh confirming the recovery and death of a suspected Maoist in the encounter said, "We have busted a training camp run by the Maoists. We are yet to ascertain the identity of the Maoist cadre killed in the encounter. The youth is not a local person because the people living in nearby villages have failed to identify him."

CPI-Maoist cadres killed a man in Nagahong village of Ranchi District on an unspecified date, bordering Sareikela-Kharsawan District, after branding him as a 'Police informer'. Three Maoists fired on Tinku Mehta at the weekly market in the village which led to his death, SP, Sareikela District, Akhilesh Jha said.

August 23: The campaign launched by the Police and the CRPF against the CPI-Maoist and other LWE continued for the third week from the densely forested tracts of Saranda in West Singhbhum District.

August 25: Defence Land Systems India, a joint venture between Indian vehicle manufacturer Mahindra and Mahindra and British defence Major, British Aerospace and Defence Systems handed over the first mine-protection vehicle to Jharkhand Police. The vehicle combines ballistic and blast protection capabilities and found capable of protecting passengers even when subjected to a blast from 21 kilograms of TNT.

August 27: CPI-Maoist cadres have sent extortion letters demanding huge sums of money to a poor household in Chakulia area of East Singhbhum District, threatening of dire consequences in case of non-compliance. A local health worker, Reena Rani, informed Police of receiving a letter from the Maoists demanding INR 100,000 as 'protection money'.

During a search operation, Police recovered five powerful landmines planted by the CPI-Maoist cadres under a culvert on a road near Pilpilo More under Navadih Police Station in Bokaro District. The landmines weighing about 20 kilograms were in active position. A bomb disposal squad later destroyed the landmines.

In a joint operation with Hazaribagh Police and CRPF, Bokaro Police arrested a hardcore Maoist, Ram Kishen Kisku alias Udit, an explosive expert, following a raid in the forests of Banaso and Jamnijara of Jhumra hills under Mahuataad Police Station in Bokaro District. Police also recovered a huge stock of live cartridges and wire which the rebels had hidden in artificial bunkers and caves in the Jhumra hills. An SLR was also recovered from Udit's possession.

August 29: Two persons, allegedly having links with the CPI-Maoist were arrested on charge of extorting money from villagers from Patamda in East Singhbhum District of Jharkhand. SSP, Akhilesh Kumar Jha said while one of the arrested was a resident of Bada bazaar in Kolkata, West Bengal, the other hailed from Tilidih in East Singhbhum District. Police seized INR 15,000 in cash, three mobiles and Maoist pamphlets.

August 31: Three close associates of JPC leader Rampati Ganjhu, who is currently lodged at Chatra jail, were arrested by Charhi Police in Hazaribagh District from two separate places. Three country-made rifles and as many mobile phones were recovered from the three, Rajendra Ganjhu, Binod Bhuiyan and Suman Devi - all residents of Simaria in Chatra District.

The SFs claimed to have gained control of the near 700 hills in the dense forests of Saranda, in the longest ever anti-Naxal operation called 'Operation Monsoon'.

The Indian Railways is all set to construct a 97-kilometer long railway-line in Chatra District. The project, coming up at a cost of INR 5.5 billion, is being seen as a challenging task due to a strong presence of LWE in the District.

September 1: SPOs, who are either former Maoists or unemployed youths from villages and who were recruited for providing information about the Maoist cadres or assisting the anti-Maoist operation, are not being paid any honorarium for the past two months.

The State sports department has decided to handpick 100 Under-19 players each for football and hockey from all 260 blocks of the State through an elaborate screening process and then training them for four years in residential cradles. The scheme is a brainchild of Sports Minister Sudesh Mahto, who had earlier said sporting excellence was an effective deterrent to Naxalism in far-flung blocks.

DGP G.S. Rath said that the joint SFs from the State, Odisha Police and the CRPF had successfully completed the operation against CPI-Maoist in Saranda forests in West Singhbhum District. "The forces destroyed around a dozen Maoist training camps. The Maoists may not have been totally flushed out, but we have been successful in establishing an administration," he said.

September 2: Activists of the Jharkhand Janadhikar Morcha, led by Bandhu Tirkey, sat on a day-long dharna with human-rights activists against incidents of Police atrocities during the operation in Saranda forest.

The Jharkhand Chief Minister, Arjun Munda met Union rural development minister, Jairam Ramesh and requested him to widen the ambit of Centre's development plans for 14 Maoist-hit Districts of Jharkhand to the entire State. The thrust of their discussions was on including the remaining Districts under the IAP since the entire State - all 24 Districts - was a victim of Maoist terror.

Two CPI-Maoist cadres were killed in an exchange of fire with the SFs in the Ranga area under Manoharpur Police limits of Saranda forest in West Singhbhum District. A rifle, 45 rounds of ammunition and cash were also recovered from the site.

September 3: CPI-Maoist cadres fired at SF personnel who retaliated the firing at Rongo village in West Singhbhum District. A group of Maoists waiting on the hilltop started firing at the SF personnel approaching them in course of long-range patrolling, SP A K Singh said. The SF personnel recovered a rifle, 42 live cartridges, INR 10,000 in cash and Maoist literature from the spot, Singh said.

September 4: The dead bodies of two youths hailing from the Panki Police Station area of Palamu District were found thrown near Baresand bus-stand along the Garu-Mahuatand road in the District. In a note thrown beside their bodies, the CPI-Maoist cadres alleged that they were extorting under the name of the CPI-Maoist. Earlier, the two were abducted and taken to the dense forests of Garu in the adjoining Latehar District, where a Jan Adalat was held which declared them guilty of their alleged offence.

A joint team of Ranchi and Khunti Police conducted an operation at the Arki-Tamar forests under Tamar Police Station limits of Khunti District. The operation was led by Ranchi SSP Saket Kumar Singh who said, "We had a specific intelligence input that Pahan ['zonal commander' Kundan Pahan] and his Platoon-39 is trying to locate their base at the Tamar area and the Arki-Tamar forest needed police vigilance. We also seized six boosters, 10kg Cane Bomb which was newly made and ready to use and a camera flash to recharge battery." Further, Police arrested Gole Munda during the operation. Later, he accepted that he was working for Pahan and was active in Tamar area.

The Police arrested four persons, including a suspected CPI-Maoist cadre Ramvilas Lohra from the Chandil-Chowka block of Seraikela-Kharsawan District. Police also recovered a sophisticated firearm and few live cartridges from him, said sources.

Seraikela-Kharsawan Police arrested five suspected Maoists, including a former 'area commander' of the outfit, identified as Ramvilas Lohra, who used to operate in the Chandil-Chowka area. Subsequent to their arrest, the Police revealed their identity claiming the four suspected Maoists to be the henchmen of Lohra. Madhusudan Razak, Banka Pandey, Gurupado Majhi and Sonu Majhi have been sent to Seraikela sub-divisional jail following their arrest, said the Police.

September 7: SFs arrested two 'sub-zonal commanders' of the CPI-Maoist and recovered a huge cache of ammunition, explosive devices and wireless sets along with Maoist literature in a 10-day operation against the outfit in Gumla, Lohardaga and Latehar Districts. In total, three wireless sets, 21 grenades, six claymore mines, five kg explosives, two pressure bombs, 39 can bombs, 20 IEDs, around 225 cartridges, 200 detonators and three multi-meters were recovered. The arrested Maoists were identified as Surendra alias Binod Lohra alias Iqbal and Mohammad Shabir Khan alias Bada Babu. Christened Operation Hills, the offensive was launched simultaneously in the three districts on August 18 under regional IG Rezi Dung Dung in Piri, Gotal, Saryu, Kumari and Peshrar along the bordering areas. These five places are considered Maoist strongholds. According to Dung Dung, nine companies of the CRPF, seven units of CoBRA, eight units of Jharkhand Jaguar, two units of Jharkhand Armed Police and District armed Police were involved in the operation. Terming the operation very successful, Dung Dung said at a press conference on September 6, "We formed three teams which simultaneously launched the operations and recovered a large cache of explosives." The security forces also recovered syringes to make pressure devices, seven timer devices, three pairs of uniform and a bag Maoist literature.

September 8: The Police recovered a cache of arms and ammunition, suspected to have been left behind by the cadres of the PLFI, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist from under a culvert on Mandar-Narkopi road at Tanagarbasli village under Mandar block of Ranchi District. The cache included three double-barrel guns, eight rifles, one carbine and 234 rounds of ammunition, out of which 120 are meant for self-loading rifles while 82 are used in rifles of .315 bore. As many as 32 pieces are used in .12 bore rifles.

The Centre set a January 2012 deadline for the State Government to utilise a whopping INR 7.7 billion which was allocated for building infrastructure in the 14 Naxal affected Districts of Jharkhand under the IAP. The 14 Districts, under IAP, were allocated INR 250 million each in 2010-11 and INR 300 million each in the current fiscal (2011-12). The Planning Commission directly monitors the progress of the centrally sponsored IAP scheme, under which the DC of the 14 Districts received INR 550 million in total for the projects.

September 9: Two troopers of the 'Jharkhand Jaguar' STF were seriously injured as an anti-landmine vehicle carrying five troopers from Ranchi to Khunti turned turtle on the Ranchi-Khunti Road in Khunti District of Jharkhand.

September 10: 80 bags of ammonium-nitrate and 80 detonators, suspected to be meant for CPI-Maoist cadres for making land-mines, were seized in two separate incidents in the State. According to Police, a truck laden with the 80 bags of ammonium-nitrate was seized near Barhi of Hazaribagh District. The driver and his assistant were detained. Eighty detonators were recovered from Karmatand village of Jamtara District. Two people were arrested in the incident.

September 13: The Raidih Police arrested a cadre of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Mahto Oran, in the border area of Jharkhand in Gumla District. The Raidih Police had inputs that the Naxals had assembled near the forest area adjoining to Kothatoli village. Oran was the associate of Mangal Nagesia, sub-zonal commander of the PLFI. The Police recovered a .12 bore country-made pistol along with associated cartridges from his possession.

In view of the ongoing fertilizer crisis being faced by the peasants of the State the PLFI gave a call for bandh in the three bordering Districts of Simdega, Gumla and Lohardaga. As a result of this, all Intra-State bus movements towards Ranchi and Inter-State movements across the border came to a stand-still.

Bokaro District administration is taking concrete steps to begin the construction of roads in and around the CPI-Maoist bastion by 2012. The road construction department has already sanctioned INR 110 million, the final cost estimate of constructing roads from the foothills of Rahawan till Jhumra.

Hundreds of students and teachers of a school in Jharkhand's Lohardaga District held a peaceful rally against Maoist insurgency.

September 15: The DC's of Jharkhand's 14 LWE affected Districts have welcomed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's call to minimise corruption and adopt a development-oriented strategy to counter the clout enjoyed by the CPI-Maoist and other groups, Principal secretary in the rural works department, S.K. Satpathy said. The day before, the Prime Minister had asked the DCs to win the trust of the people and make them part of the development process.

September 17: Six suspected Maoists were arrested from Jobhi and Jamira village in Ghatsila sub-division of East Singhbhum District in. Among the arrested, Jamuna Singh alias Ila alias Jayanti, a resident of Patharchakri village under Belpahari Police Station of West Bengal, was allegedly involved in the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MP (Sunil Mahto) murder case in Baguria in March 2007. Police also seized arms and ammunition from Jayanti.

September 18: The Police arrested a suspected woman Maoist and recovered a substantial quantity of explosives from her house at Katra village in Garhwa District. "Based on intelligence input that Maoist, Rukshana Khatun alias Soni Kumari alias Gudia had returned home, Police raided her house and arrested her," SP, S. Michael Raj said. The Police recovered 31 detonators, one kilogram of explosive material, two powerful batteries, a country-made pistol, three mobile sets and Maoist literature from her, he said.

A modernized Mine Protected Vehicle for India (MPV-I) was handed over to Jharkhand Police. ADGP, BB Pradhan received the anti-landmine vehicle of behalf of the State Police. The vehicle is the first out of six to be handed over to the State police. The vehicle is much better than the current anti-landmine vehicle being used by the Police.

The CPI-Maoist leadership "apologized" for the killing of Neyamat Ansari. The party's Bihar-Jharkhand-North Chhattisgarh-UP territory regional committee blamed the outfit's "lower-level committee" that served the death penalty order on Ansari, who hailed from Jerua village in Latehar district. Ansari and one Bhukhan Singh, who managed to escape, were working with development economist Jean Dreze and the Gram Swaraj Sanstha.

September 13-16: The SFs in an operation codenamed Operation Up Hills neutralised a CPI-Maoist camp and seized two improvised explosive devices and two country-made rifles in Lohardaga and Gumla Districts. The operation was carried out in between September 13 to 16 in the bordering areas of the two Districts following specific inputs of Maoist movement. During the exercise, a number of villages --Gope, Pahr, Bora, Kumhari, Jamti, Temarkachcha, Katia, Kerar, Putrar, Rorad, Bulbul and Saidatoli -- were raided. Police also arrested a Maoist, Balkishun Kherwar, a resident of Bulbul under Kisko Police Station area in Lohardaga District during the raid.

September 16: The judicial remand of six CPI-Maoist cadres arrested has prompted the Ghaghidih Central Jail authorities in East Singhbhum to tighten security measures in the jail. As reported earlier, the six Maoists arrested from Chakulia block in Ghatshila sub-division of East Singhbhum District were sent to the central jail after being produced before the chief Judicial Magistrate on September 18.

September 17: Ranchi Deputy Commissioner K K Soan on visited six Naxalite LWE-affected villages in Bundu block of Ranchi District and reviewed implementation of the Government schemes while interacting with the villagers reports. Soan became one of the first Government officers to visit some of the villages in the last one decade. He walked over 20 kilometres with other Government officials.

September 18: A huge cache of explosives and ammunition was seized from different hideouts of the CPI-Maoist in Lohardaga District. The recovery included an explosive weighing about 50 kilograms, two bombs weighing 30 and 20 kilograms, wiring for laying out mines and materials used for making bombs. A Maoist cadre was also arrested from one such hideout. The Police have been conducting operations for the past few days in the forest areas of the District.

September 21: The adviser to the Planning Commission, Indrani Chandrasekharan, visited various development projects, which had been initiated in CPI-Maoist-hit villages of Gumla District under the IAP. She later said, "We are happy to see various IAP and other projects in the District. If there is development, Maoist impact will diminish and people will be benefited."

September 23: The Union Home Ministry has promised Jharkhand two Mi-17 helicopters and an additional CRPF battalion by mid-October. At present, the State has 15 battalions of CRPF, including two battalions of its special strike force, CoBRA.

September 26: CPI-Maoist cadres had never actually left Dalma hills despite the huge presence of Policemen and Paramilitary troopers there and aim to turn it into another Lalgarh. This revelation was made by two of the six hardcore Maoists arrested by East Singhbhum Police. Jayanti and Prasenjit Chakraborty, who have been taken into five-day police remand for interrogations, have also revealed how they used to conceal their weapons and their plans in Ghatshila and Dalma areas, among other things. "The Maoists want to convert Dalma hills into another liberated zone like Lalgarh. For this, they are resorting to various strategies," a senior Police Officer said on the condition of anonymity.

September 27: Two CoBRA troopers were killed and four others were seriously injured in a CPI-Maoist ambush in Jhumra hills in Gomia block of Bokaro District. The dead have been identified as Praveen Kumar and Ram Singh, while the injured are Anish, Batajeet Mandal and Asit Mallick.

The Jharkhand security establishment is relieved at West Bengal Government's decision to intensify operations against Maoists. DGP, G. S. Rath, said it would lead to active participation of the Security Forces and better flow of intelligence in the fight against Maoists.

September 29: CoBRA and CRPF troopers escaped a landmine blast triggered by the CPI-Maoist near 'Dania' at Jhumra hillocks region in Gomia Police Station area in Bokaro District. The Police have sped up the operation in these regions since the September 27 killings and several Maoist camps have busted, DIG of Police, Bokaro (coal belt) Laxman Prasad Singh said. We are keeping a strict vigil on the Naxals' movements and their hideouts through helicopter surveillance," Singh said.

DGP, GS Rath visited Mosabani in East Singhbhum District to review the progress of the work of the proposed anti-terrorist training centre. Source said that the standard of proposed anti-terrorist training centre will be at par with that of the paramilitary training centre in Hyderabad and Haryana, where the Police personnel are trained how to cope up with the guerrilla war. About 500 police personnel will be given training in a batch.

CM, Arjun Munda ordered forming of a Primitive Tribal Battalion which will be sixth among the Indian Reserve Battalions formed by the State Government in the past. According to the decision taken a total of 1,007 posts will be created while two companies of the battalion will be given commando training. The battalion will especially recruit people from Primitive Tribal Groups (PTG) in the State. Constituting a Tribal Battalion is the part of Centre's strategy against Maoist rebels to give preference to tribals in the Security Forces. Nevertheless, the Centre had reportedly rejected the proposal of the State Government forming battalions on any specific tribal community.

September 30: The Police recovered 12 kilograms of explosive powder and other material during a search operation in a forest at Jalmandih under Rania Police Station area of Khunti District. Besides the explosive powder, 90 pieces of 9-volt batteries, 90 steel cans, two bundles of electric wire, 34 bullets and other items were recovered from, SP, Manoj Kaushik said.

Three CPI-Maoist cadres were arrested at Sonua in West Singhbhum District. The Maoist cadres, identified as Kisan Diggi, Karam Singh Diggi and Behra Diggi, were produced before the court of Sub-divisional Judicial Magistrate before being sent to jail, they said.

The Jhumra hills of Gomia block of Bokaro District continued to remain tense with SF launching a hunt for the bodies of Maoist cadres, suspected to have been killed in the gun-battle of September 27. SFs had claimed that at least six Maoists had been killed or injured in the counter-firing.

October 1: Suspected CPI-Maoist cadres killed a village headman in the interior Jojoda area, between Porahat and Saranda forests, under the Goeilkera Police Station limits of West Singhbhum District. As per reports, a group of Maoists abducted Bimal Lumga, headman of Jojoda village, and dumped his body after killing him. DIG Naveen Singh said the Porahat forest had been a stronghold of the Maoists and in the next security exercise the Maoists would be flushed out from Porahat.

A Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantric (JVM-P) leader was shot dead by Maoists in Khunti District. A group of Maoists dragged Naomi Mirdha out of his house at Gamaria village and took him to a distance before shooting him dead, SP Manoj Kaushik told reporters.

October 1: The Special Cell of Delhi Police arrested two suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist for allegedly planning to send a consignment of arms and ammunition to their outfit in Jharkhand, from Lodhi Colony in New Delhi. Sources said the arrest of Dilip and Arun has also revealed the nexus between the banned group, PLA, and the Maoists. The Police claim they have the accused's laptop that contains important information related to future Maoist operations. "The laptop also has information about a training camp to be jointly organized by PLA and Naxals [Left-Wing Extremists] in Myanmar," said a source.

October 3: A civilian, Santosh Yadav was killed by CPI-Maoist cadres in Latehar District suspecting him to be an 'informer' of the TPC, the Police said.

The IAF will dispatch two of its Mi-17 IV helicopters to the Jharkhand Government for logistic support in anti-Maoist operations being jointly conducted by Police and the CAPF. The Centre had promised to provide as many as 23 choppers to these States.

October 4: A suspected woman CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Soni Sori (36), wanted by the Chhattisgarh Police, was arrested from Katwaria Sarai in New Delhi, where she was allegedly hiding. Sori, is a primary school teacher and was wanted by the Chhattisgarh Police for acting as a conduit between Maoists and Essar group.

October 5: Two CPI-Maoist cadres, Rajendra Singh Bhokta and Lalji Yadav, were arrested by a Police team from Hazaribagh District following tip-off. Two firearms with cartridges, Maoist literature and medicines were recovered from them.

The 24-hour-long bandh called by the CPI-Maoist passed off peacefully in the State. The bandh was called in wake of alleged atrocities of Police on residents of Saranda forest in West Singhbhum District.

October 7: An 'area commander' of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, was arrested by Gumla District Police at his house in Salgi-Bhuriyatoli village of the District. The arrested person was identified as Rakesh alias Champion, who was re-launching his activities in the Ghaghra area of the District, Gumla SP, Jatin Narwal said. The self-styled PLFI 'commander' was involved in the killing of Mahesh Oraon when he denied paying an extortion demand in 2009. He was also involved in the killing of Marwari Oraon, Arbind Barla and Nizam Ansari in 2008, the SP said.

October 13: The rural development ministry has decided bridge the development deficit in 56 villages in the heart of the dense Saranda forest where SFs had conducted an operation to flush out Maoists. In the first tangible demonstration of the government's strategy of a concerted, multi-pronged engagement with Naxalism, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh has now written to Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, suggesting a follow-up action plan of development to wean the 36,500 tribal people in these villages away from the Naxals.

The Maoist cadres have shown their opposition to any double-storey building being constructed in Palamu District, as it considers such a building can house a picket of SF to keep eyes on them. According to a source in Palamu Police, even Government schools in Palamu, which are to have two additional classrooms, face stiff resistance from the Maoists who take money for giving "permission" for constructing two or multi-storey schools here. Many builders also corroborated this.

October 14: Two suspected CPI-Maoist cadres were arrested and INR 180,000 seized from them in Garhwa District. A Police team laid a trap to arrest Surendra Yadav and Sanju Ram after being tipped off that the duo were returning from Ranka to Garhwa. On interrogation, the Police said, the duo admitted that they went to a place to collect the extortion money. A pistol, two bullets and Maoist literature were also allegedly recovered from their possession.

October 15: Dead bodies of a panchayat ward member and his wife, identified as Naresh Musi and Sarita Devi, were found near Korma village of Latehar District. Both were abducted by Maoists in the previous night. The Maoists had slit their throats.

October 16: CPI-Maoist cadres killed a person accusing him of being a 'Police informer' and disposed of the body at the adjacent Karampada in West Singhbhum District. Jharkhand Police recovered the body near a railway cabin, about 150 kilometres from Rourkela. Chaibasa SP Arun Kumar Singh said they are verifying the identity of the deceased. He is thought to be Suresh, a native of Karampada in West Singhbhum who had settled at Bandamunda near Rourkela in Odisha.

Three Maoist cadres were arrested and arms and ammunition recovered during a three-day 'Operation Thunder' against Maoists in Garhwa District by the Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh SF's. The Maoists were identified as Malluh Korva, Babita Devi and Milan Killah. "There was no encounter during the operation," Garhwa SP, Michael Raj and CRPF Commandant, R. K. Dagar told a news conference in Garhwa. A total of 6 kilograms of potassium nitrate and ammonium nitrate, three hand-grenades, 54 detonators, a gun, 126 cartridges, 625 rucksacks, 24 blankets, 17 gas cylinders, 10-metre wire and a trunk full of tracksuits and Maoist literature were recovered from the three rooms located in the forest.

Maoist 'commander', Kundan Pahan's girl-friend and the 'second-in-command' of the Maoist squad was arrested from Pithoria in Kanke tehsil of Ranchi District and a pistol and four bullets were seized from her. The arrest of Sushila alias Anju alias Kulwati alias Kulai Munda is considered crucial in recent times as it will unfold the mystery behind the loot of INR 55 million on May 21, 2008 from NH-33 under Tamar Police Station of Ranchi District and the killing of special branch inspector, Francis Induwar in 2009. Sushila was actively associated with CPI-Maoist for the past six years and was heading Bundu-Chandil sub-zone committee. She was looking after the four area committees in Ranchi, Saraikela and Khunti Districts and had reportedly confessed that she had participated in the loot of INR 55 million and the abduction and killing of Induwar.

Ranchi Police arrested three cadres of PLFI-a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Pankaj Yadav, Vikash Yadav and Ram Dayal Yadav- at Khelari in Ranchi District and recovered two country-made pistols. During interrogation, Police found that Ram Dayal Yadav was also wanted in the killing of two engineers of proposed Abhijeet Power Plant at Latehar in March 2011. In Khunti, Police busted a PLFI camp at Bakashpur forest at Karra and arrested one John Tilmi and Falendra Badaik at Kamdara. Police recovered country-made rifle, 17 cartridges and other articles from the camp.

The State Government convinced the Union ministry for rural development to fund construction of around 6,500 kilometres of rural roads especially in Maoist-hit Districts. According to Sudesh Kumar Mahato, the Deputy Chief Minister, the State Government had proposal for construction of connecting roads for around 1,840 villages that don't have all-season roads under IAP.

October 18: The JSJMM 'chief', 'commander' Jahir Ansari alias Tufan, was arrested along with two of his associates, Seraj Ansari and Anis Ansari, by a joint Police team of Lohardaga, Kisko and Kuru blocks. Police seized cell-phones, CPI-Maoist literature, including receipts of levy collection, INR 8,000 in cash collected as levy, from the possession of the JSJMM. The SP, Jitendra Kumar Singh, presented the trio before forwarding them to judicial custody on October 19.

Police will drive out the cadres of the CPI-Maoist from the Jhumra hills range in Bokaro and Hazaribagh Districts after flushing them out from the Saranda forests in West Singhbhum, said DGP G S Rath. "After their successful operation in Saranda, Police will soon launch a similar drive in Jhumra Pahar region of Bokaro and Hazaribagh Districts, but for that Police requires the cooperation of local people," the Police chief said.

October 19: SFs have 'liberated' 56 villages having population over 36,000 from the clutches of Maoists in Saranda forest in West Singhbhum District, where a new developmental action plan will be implemented soon. Describing it as a major success, Union Home Ministry officials said the villages under six 'Gram Sabha' had been under the dominance of the CPI-Maoist for a long period and as a result no development has taken place there. Under the 'Saranda Action Plan', prepared by the Rural Development Ministry, the Government will immediately distribute solar-lanterns and bicycles, help construction of pre-fabricated houses for BPL families under the IAY and bridges with the help of Army and distribute hand-pumps for drinking water. The Centre will also help the Jharkhand Government to raise one battalion (approximately 1,000 personnel) of IRP force by recruiting local tribal youth. The Home Ministry will provide the funds to raise the Indian Reserve force battalion. This force will be deployed to provide security to the local population and help authorities to carry out the development activities, officials said.

October 21: The Police arrested a CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Vinod Manjhi, who was also a coal smuggler following a raid at Nawadih Bazaar in Nawadih District. Police said Manjhi, a resident of Chotkikudi village of Nawadih, is a close associate of Maoist 'commander' Navin Manjhi. Manjhi was wanted in three cases related to Maoist activities and coal smuggling cases. Police in August 2011, had busted an illegal mine in Sotapani area of Nawadih run by Manjhi. He was involved in illegal business of coal smuggling. He was also involved in planting landmines in Government schools at Degagada and on Kosi-Budgadda road, which were recovered by the Police in 2006, said a Police official.

October 23: An elderly tribal man and his son, who went missing from home last week and may have been abducted by the CPI-Maoist cadres, were found dead in the Maoist-affected forests of Kuchai in Seraikela-Kharsawan District, 80 kilometres from Jamshedpur. Sudarshan Samad (60) and Laxman Samad (20) were residents of Richadih village, located about 4 kilometres from where their bodies were recovered. Their throats were slit with some sharp weapon, the Police said, not ruling out Maoist hand in the killings. Seraikela-Kharsawan SP, Abhishek said the father-son duo was last seen by family members on October 18. Kuchai is infamous as a preferred corridor of the CPI-Maoist cadres. Maoist cadres moving between Tamar and Saranda in West Singhbhum use Kuchai as a safe passage. So do those who migrate to the West Singhbhum forest from the Maoist-affected Purulia District in neighbouring West Bengal.

Three days after a Dhruv helicopter carrying BSF personnel crashed near Ranchi killing all three on board, the CPI-Maoist have claimed to have shot it down. In an SMS sent to the media, undersigned by the head of its South Chhotanagpur zonal committee head, Kundan Pahan, the Maoists have claimed responsibility for the incident. The message read: "Helicopter ko Maowadi Jan Mukti Chapamaar Sena ke veer jawanon ne maar giraya - Kundan Pahan [The helicopter was shot down by the brave soldiers of the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army". The PLGA is the armed wing of the CPI- Maoist-and Pahan has been heading it for the last five years.

Teams of Bokaro Police and the CRPF succeeded in flushing out three hard-core Maoists from their hideout at village Narra in Nawadih block.

CRPF commandant, R K Dagar said that the Maoists had raised a special battalion called 'Jan Militia'. Sanya village under Bhandarya block is one such place in the Palamu District where the Maoists have Jan Militia. Dagar said three such Jan Militia were arrested and jailed when very recently the CRPF and the local Police there raided the village and made huge recoveries including 10 land-mines.

October 24: A man from Bihar, identified as Rana Singh alias Pappu Singh, was arrested from Charhi block of the Hazaribagh District for supplying arms to the Maoists operating in Hazaribagh, Ramgarh and Chatra Districts of Jharkhand.

October 25: The Maoists organized a 'Jan Adalat' (Kangaroo court) in Palamu District and cut-off the right arm of a person accused of rape. The Maoist claimed they organized the 'Jan Adalat' on villager's request.

October 26: In a joint raid conducted by the Hazaribagh and the Chatra Police, a Maoist 'zonal commander', Ranjan Paswan alias Ajayjee was arrested from the dense forests of Jordag bordering Keredari (Hazaribag) and Tandwa (Chatra) with two firearms and about dozen live cartridges.

October 29: Akshaya, alias Vinod Singh, a sub-zonal 'commander' of CPI-Maoist who had masterminded the May 3 landmine blast that killed 11 Policemen, was arrested in Lohardaga District.

October 30: Maoists beheaded Sukharam Munda, a middle-aged man, in full public glare at Kamaria Village in Khunti District. Maoists claimed he was guilty of committing rape.

SF personnel recovered two IEDs near Gayjara and Tolsadih villages during a joint operation launched on the bordering areas of Ranchi and Khunti Districts.

October 30: Maoists killed three persons in separate incidents - beheading one, crushing another's head with a stone, and shooting dead a 'Police informer' - in Khunti District.

November 1: Police seized more than a thousand detonators and 10 bags of ammonium nitrate during raids in Hazaribagh District. Three persons were arrested in this connection.

November 2: A total of 65 bags of power gel used in making landmines were seized by SFs in Hazaribagh District. The explosives were in addition to more than 1000 detonators and ten bags of ammonium nitrate seized the previous night.

November 4: Maoists killed two villagers - Vijay Dhanwar (35) and Mahavir Mahto (38) - who used to collect levy on their behalf at Lailore village in Jeraikela Police Station area of Manoharpur block in West Singhbhum District. The Maoists suspected the duo of misappropriating money collected from villagers.

November 8: Three Policemen were injured when CPI-Maoist cadres attacked their make-shift camp at Cone village in Latehar District.

Seven Security Force personnel, five of Jharkhand Jaguar and two of District Police, were injured when a school-turned-camp collapsed by a series of land-mine explosions triggered by the CPI-Maoist cadres at Kone village in Latehar District.

November 14: SFs arrested four CPI-Maoist cadres belonging to 'Madhya Zone', from Khemdra village under Chhatarpur Police Station in Palamu District. The four include two sub-zonal rank 'commanders' - Balkesh Yadav and Madan Ram - and 'area commanders' Heera Ram and Vishwanath. SFs also recovered two country-made rifles and over dozen cartridges from them. Ram is a veteran Maoist earlier associated with the MCC.

November 15: In a joint operation, SFs recovered around 403 powerful detonators from Bundu District. The explosives were placed in four sacks by the cadres of the CPI-Maoist.

At least half a dozen Maoist cadres from Kerala have been sent to Jharkhand for military training, raising security concern in the State. According to the sources, the cadres from Kerala will be inducted into the PLGA after undergoing military training.

November 16: A 'sub-zonal commander' of the CPI-Maoist, Chandanji, was shot dead at Uchhila More under Barwadih Police Station of Latehar District. In the note found at the incident site, Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad (JJMP), a splinter group of the CPI-Maoist, claimed responsibility for the killing, the Police said.

Cadres of the CPI-Maoist triggered a land-mine blast damaging a tractor carrying a generator set and water tank for CRPF personnel in Latehar. The tractor driver, Vinod Oraon, sustained injuries, sources said. Police spokesperson R. K. Mallick said, "The tractor was closely followed by a company of CRPF personnel. After the explosion, the personnel were engaged in an encounter with the rebels, who escaped taking advantage of the nearby dense forests. There was no casualty on either side. The driver is also safe."

November 19: The IG of North Chhotanagpur, Murari Lal Meena asked his subordinates to start combing operations in their respective zones to flush out Maoists ahead of the Mandu by-election on November 30.

SF personnel found explosives in Saranda forest before a survey in CPI-Maoist-hit villages to implement development schemes in West Singhbhum District. "Two boxes of gelatin sticks and boosters were found from Tirilposhi and two landmines weighing 20 kg each were found from Tirilposhi-Digha in Saranda forest in Maoist-hit Manoharpur police station," DIG Bhanu Pratap Singh said.

November 20: The Police arrested seven people for the killing of nun, Sister John Valsa at Pachuara village under Amrapara Police Station jurisdiction in Pakur District. The arrested persons were identified as Advin Murmu, Ranjan Marandi, Pradhan Hembram, Rakesh Turi, all hailing from Aloobera village, and Paisal Hembram, Prem Turi, Tala Hembram, all from Pachura village. Though they were responsible for thrashing and hacking Sister Valsa to death, the villagers claimed that the cadres of the CPI-Maoist were the main conspirators in the incident. A total of 30 armed Maoists escorted 15 villagers of Meral Tola, Aloobera and Pachuara villages to the house of Sonaram Hembram at Pachuara village on November 15 to kill Sister Valsa, where she was staying on rent. Among those arrested is Ranjan Marandi, with known links to Maoists. "The Maoists are trying to make inroads into Pakur to extort money from a mining company. The rebels, however, did not use firearms to kill her. They let the villagers do that so that they could convey a message that even an influential person like Valsa could be killed if Maoists did not approve of that person," said Dumka IG Arun Oraon.

A Maoist sympathiser, Raj Mohan Mahto was arrested from the Maoist-affected Chowka Police Station area in Saraikela-Kharsawan District. He was arrested while conspiring to blow up a patrolling Police team of Chowka, said the officer-in-charge of the Police Station, Ram Awadh Singh.

November 21: Yogendra Oraon, a former CPI-Maoist leader who carried a reward of INR 300,000 on his head, was killed by the Police at Raidih in Gumla District. Oraon was a former 'sub-zonal commander' of the CPI-Maoist and quit the outfit to join the PLFI. Later, he left the PLFI to form his own outfit, which indulged in extortion and murder.

Two CPI-Maoist cadres, Gulshan Ganjhu alias Govind and Choti Thakur, were arrested along with arms and Maoist literature in Churchu and Bishnugarh areas of Hazaribagh District. SP, Pankaj Kamboj said that Govind, who was wanted since 2001, was arrested by Churchu Police from his hideout in Ambadih village. The Police also recovered a revolver, several cartridges and Maoist literature from him. Choti Thakur of Galowar village in Bishnugarh was also arrested along with arms.

Police arrested a former cadre of the JPC, a splinter group of the CPI-Maoist, who had opened an illegal factory to manufacture country-made revolvers and firearms, from his hideout at Kariyatpur in Hazaribagh District. Sagarjee alias Samunder Bhuiyan, who belonged to Bendi village in Katkamsandi of Hazaribag, was an activist of the CPI-Maoist and later joined JPC before forming his own outfit.

November 24: The CPI-Maoist cadres killed two brothers, Kodai Kera and Kot Kera, in West Singhbhum District, suspecting them to be Police informers. Their bodies were found on the main street connecting Chakradharpur to Sonua block. The two were residents of Chakradharpur village.

The Police Officers in Jharkhand see senior CPI-Maoist leader, Kishanji's death as an opportunity for Jharkhand to launch an immediate operation to seize control of areas in East Singhbhum District bordering Bengal. State Police spokesman, R.K. Mallick said, "Prashant Bose, alias Kishan Da, who happens to be the No 2 in the organisation continues to be our main challenge."

November 25: Following the death of top CPI-Maoist Politburo member, Koteswara Rao alias Kishanji in West Bengal, more than 500 Police and CRPF personnel along with the District Police have launched an anti-Maoist operation with an aim of flushing out the Maoists hiding in Gomia, Jhumra, Nawadih, Parasnath, Madhuban and Vishnugarh areas of the State. Sources revealed that they had received information on exodus of Maoist cadres from Upar Ghat, Hisim Pahadi, Kedla, Lugu Pahadi, Mahuatand and Jhumra. DIG Laxman Singh said SFs were getting vital inputs from rural-based intelligence sources on the movement of Maoists. "We have launched a fresh offensive that will continue, as the Maoists are running for cover. With Kishan's killing, there is a vacuum in CPI-Maoist."

November 26: The CPI-Maoist set ablaze the machinery of a contractor at Sarnadih of Latehar District, as he refused to pay money to the banned outfit. A group of armed Maoists reached the construction spot and set ablaze two drilling machines, a mixture machine, two generators and a pump set. The Maoist had demanded money from the contractor who had taken INR 35.2 million road-bridge project over the river Bhouri under IAP, SP D B Sharma said.

November 28: A total of 5000 detonators were recovered and four persons were arrested in this connection from Jogia Pahari in Giridih District. Police suspect the four persons of supplying detonators to the CPI-Maoist.

The 24-hour State-wide bandh called by JRC of CPI-Maoist in protest against the killing of Maoist leader Mallojula Koteshwara Rao alias Kishanji evoked mixed response in the State. Markets and normal life in rural areas was disrupted while coal loading work was disrupted in Latehar, Ranchi, Ramgarh, Hazaribagh, Chatra and bauxite loading work was hampered in Lohardaga District. Rural markets in Khunti, Gumla, Simdega, Palamu, Ranchi, Bokaro, Giridih and other District remained closed.

Three permanent joint camps have been set up by the CRPF and Police in the CPI-Maoist strong-holds of Koney, Orya and Saryu in Latehar District.

December 1: CPI-Maoist cadres killed Partho Mishra (30), a PLFI supporter at Kenbanki village in the Karkel area of Khunti District. Khunti SP M. Tamilvanan said preliminary investigations suggested the killing was a result of rivalry between LWE organisations.

Five cadres, including two 'area commanders' of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, were arrested from a couple of places of Gumla District. The arrested cadres were identified as PLFI 'area commanders' Ashish Gope alias Keshwar and Amit Oraon, besides Nandu Mahto, Animesh Ekka and Ajay Toppo alias Sunil who hails from Bartoli, Gumla SP Jatin Narwal said. The Police recovered one rifle, two country-made pistols, 12 cartridges, 11 PLFI letter pads and five mobile sets from them. The SP said the arrested PLFI cadres were the members of the squad led by 'sub-zonal commander' Mangal Nagesia.

It has been sixteen days since, Adheen Prajapati, a villager of Semari village in Palamu District got abducted by the CPI-Maoist cadres. The Prajapati's wife told the media persons that a group of about 20-25 Maoists arrived in their village around midnight and barged into their house and took away her husband. She also added the Maoists made a monetary demand of INR 3 million.

December 2: Visiting Chotanagra panchayat in West Singhbhum District, Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh admitted lapses of the past but made it clear that the implementation of the development plan in Saranda forest area would be keenly monitored by the Centre so that it could be a model for other forest regions that had turned CPI-Maoist hubs in Jharkhand and States like Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh. "I will make it a point to visit Jharkhand frequently .....This is a crucial project and the blueprint will be replicated in other States," the Minister said. He added that the Centre's Saranda action plan would be implemented in all 56 villages in six gram panchayats within the forest area, accounting for over 36,000 people.

December 3-4: 11 persons, including 10 Policemen, were killed when CPI-Maoist cadres attacked the convoy of MP and former Jharkhand Speaker Inder Singh Namdhari, in Latehar District. Namdhari, however, escaped unhurt. CRPF DIG B K Sharma confirmed the death toll reaching to 11 and looting of arms and ammunition by the Maoists after the attack. According to Latehar SP D B Sharma, the Maoists took with them 10 weapons, 2, 000 ammunition and one wireless set.

The Maoists claimed the responsibility of ambushing the convoy of Namdhari. Spokesperson for the Koyal-Shankh Zonal Committee of the CPI-Maoist Sudhir told reporters from an undisclosed location that the attack was intentional but they had no plans to target Namdhari.

December 4: The Maoists began their two-day Bharat bandh by blowing up railway tracks in two Districts. In the first incident, a group of Maoists used an IED to blow up a stretch of tracks between Gomia and Dumri railway stations of the East Central Railway in Bokaro District. In the second incident, another group of Maoists blasted tracks between Hehegara and Chhipadohar railway stations in Latehar District.

The Maoists attacked Saradih Police picket in Nawadih Police Station in Palamu District, triggering a gun battle that lasted for about 30 minutes before the attackers retreated under heavy retaliation by the SF. However, there was no loss of life on any side in the attack.

A joint team of Police and paramilitary forces stumbled upon a 7.5 kilogram IED that had been planted under a bridge near Kewat Tola on the Panem Link Road during a search operation in Amrapara Police Station area in Pakur District.

The CPI-Maoist cadres triggered a landmine blast inside the Block Development Office at Harhargunj in Palamu District, during the two-day Bharat bandh called to protest against the killing of Maoist leader Mallujola Koteswara Rao alias Kishanji by the Security Forces in West Bengal. Although there was no casualty, the single-storey building housing the BDO's office was destroyed.

December 5: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist attacked and fired indiscriminately at the Hariharganj Police Station in Palamau District, around 170 kilometres from State capital Ranchi. Around 400 Maoists had attacked the Police Station and a gun battle ensued that lasted for over two hours, the Police said. There were no casualties from either side.

The Maoists blew up a school building at Bhardaria village in Garhwa District, the second day of the Bharat bandh called by the CPI-Maoist in the State. A group of armed Maoists stuffed IED inside a room of a middle school in the village and triggered the blast, damaging a large portion of the structure, SP Michael S Raj said.

Two mobile towers belonging to a private company was blown up in Haidar Nagar and Hussainabad blocks in Palamu District. Only after a guitar bomb was triggered by the Police, the situation could be brought under control. No casualties were reported in the incident.

The Police found posters calling for mass support to the bandh suspected to be put up by Maoists in Galudih in East Singhbhum District. The posters urging the people to support the bandh were found pasted in the Subash Chowk area in Galudih.

December 7: Two cadres of the PLFI, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist, were lynched by the people of Ludgo village in the District. The villagers snatched the rifle and pistol from the PLFI cadres and handed them over to the Police. The PLFI cadres had reportedly gone to extort money from the villagers.

A group of 15 suspected CPI-Maoist cadres attacked workers at a road construction site and set ablaze their cycles at Bataloka village under Patamda Police Station in East Singhbhum District. At least three workers were severely injured in the Maoist attack. Work on the road project, being conducted under PMGSY, has been suspended after the attack.

One person was arrested on charges of plotting to attack the convoy of Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda during his visit to Lohardaga. "Lal Guddunath Sahadeo was arrested, and interrogation was on," SP Jitendra Kumar Singh said. Singh, however, claimed he did not know which outfit Sahadeo belonged to. Deputy SP Anil Kumar Jha said, "The police intercepted Sahadeo's telephonic conversation with Maoist 'zonal-commander' Ravindra Ganju about blowing up the Chief Minister's convoy during his visit to Lohardaga. He was arrested after two days of interrogation."

Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been given extra Police security following suspected threats to the cricketer from Maoists and terrorists. According to an unnamed Police official, the security has been beefed up following intelligence inputs. The department is taking appropriate measures to protect the cricketer, the official said.

December 8: A woman, Akli Devi, and a seven-year-old boy Kisna Bhora were killed in cross fire when a contractor, Udasan Nag, opened retaliatory fire at CPI-Maoist cadres who fired at him near a petrol pump at Tirra village in Gumla District.

Chief Minister Arjun Munda admitted a rise in LWE violence in Palamu division but added that the Garu incident in which 10 Policemen and a boy were killed should not be politicized.

December 9: The death toll in the December 3 CPI-Maoist attack on independent MP Inder Singh Namdhari in Latehar District increased to 12 as another critically injured trooper, identified as Prem Toppo, succumbed to his injuries.

December 13: The Police arrested a CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Manoj Lohra (22), wanted in six cases of attacks, from Sindri village under Karra Police Station area of Khunti District.

In a joint operation with the CRPF's CoBRA, the State Police arrested two cadres of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, in Banrago village in Karra in the District. The arrestees were identified as 'area commander' Barnawas Bakhla (28) and his aide Tahsulang Munda (19). The Police also recovered two 9-mm pistols along with nine rounds from the duo.

December 15: A group of 50-odd CPI-Maoist cadres blew up an under-construction bridge at Patna village under Manika Police Station area of Latehar District, around 8pm. Sources said INR 10 million had been sanctioned for building the 50 metre bridge.

Local residents of Chandwa claimed that Maoists took away two firearms and 42 rounds of ammunition from security guards posted at the gate of the 2,000MW power plant under-construction power plant in the District. "The rebels took away two double-barrel guns. We heard that around 25 rebels struck in the wee hours of Wednesday and abducted three security guards. The guards, who were taken to a nearby forest, were released this morning only after they surrendered their arms," a resident said.

In Manika, local residents discovered Maoists posters, which threatened Abhijeet and Essar groups with dire consequences if the interest of locals was overlooked while hiring staff in the District. The Maoists posters were found in two places. "While one poster was noticed on a wall at Dharampur Chowk, about 200m from the town police station, another poster was found near Panchpheri Chowk, about 100m from Manika police station. However, other reports that the posters were that of TPC, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist.

December 16: Five landmines -- four landmines of five kilograms each and one weighing 10 kilogram -- suspected to be kept in two sacks by the cadres of the CPI-Maoist were recovered from Ramgarh District. According to the Police, the two sacks were found by villagers on a farm at Bhadgao village of Ramgarh, around 60 kilometres from Ranchi.

A large number of armed Maoists from three States of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand are reported to be camping in forests bordering Nagar Untari, Bhawnathpur and Manjhiaon areas in Garhwa District for the past 10 days. The Maoists numbering over 150 are planning a major offensive. Garhwa SP Michael Raj S said that SFs were trying to ascertain the presence of the Maoists in suspected areas and were keeping a watch on their activities.

December 15: Jharkhand High Court acquitted the death sentence of four alleged CPI-Maoist cadres for opening fire on spectators of football match in Giridih on October 2007 in which former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi's son and 18 others were killed. A division bench of justices R K Merathia and P P Bhatt heard the appeals filed by the accused and gave them the "benefit of doubt", citing "lack of evidence" on the part of the prosecution to confirm the death sentence awarded by Giridih sessions judge on June 22.

December 20: The SFs arrested seven cadres of the PLFI, a splinter group of the CPI-Maoist, from Booth village in Khunti District. During interrogation, three of them even admitted to their involvement in the murder of businessman Munir Ansari (40), Khunti SP Venu Tamilvanan said. All the seven PLFI cadres were trusted lieutenants of Lakhan Pahan, the Police said. The Police recovered four motorcycles, six cartridges, one revolver and a pistol from their possession.

December 21: The CPI-Maoist cadres and CRPF personnel were engaged in an hour-long encounter at Porahat forest in Bandhgaon in West Singhbhum District. The gun battle ensued when the Maoists opened fire on a 300-strong paramilitary unit combing the forest. No CRPF casualty was reported, but it could not be confirmed if any Maoists were killed in the operation. According to West Singhbhum SP Arun Kumar Singh, the anti-insurgency operation had begun from Tuesday morning [December 20].

Suspected Maoists set ablaze equipment used for road construction work at Chitra in Palamu District. The Police said a group of Maoists arrived at the road construction site and set ablaze heavy machinery, used in road construction work, DSP Girish Pandey said. He said the equipment belonged to a contractor's firm engaged in the work.

December 22: A CoBRA trooper was killed and another was injured in a gun battle with the CPI-Maoist cadres at Porahat forest under Sonua Police Station area in West Singhbhum District. The deceased trooper, Sukhdev Singh (32), who sustained a bullet injury in his waist, succumbed to his injuries as he could not be airlifted for treatment because of darkness. The counter-insurgency operation, being conducted jointly with the CRPF, between Bandu and Pandua villages in the bordering Sonua and Khuti areas of Porahat block in West Singhbhum also left about six Maoists seriously injured in the gun battle, the Police said.

December 23: A young boy was killed by the CPI-Maoist cadres in Palamu District. The young boy was shot dead by the Maoists while travelling to his grandparent's village with his grandfather in a local bus.

Following assurances of tighter security for trains passing through Maoist affected areas in States like Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal, Indian Railways lifted the ban on night travel in two out of three sections. Sources said the two sections where the night ban on movement of trains, imposed May 2010, has been lifted are Kharagpur-Adra and Chakradharpur-Rourkela. However, the ban continues in the Kharagpur-Tata section and is likely to be lifted soon, Railways sources said.

December 25: The CPI-Maoist cadres set ablaze valuable equipment engaged in road construction work and assaulted two employees of the contractor before setting them free with a warning at Tehla village in Garwah District. A group of the Maoists arrived at the spot in the wee hours and assaulted two assistants of the contractor's firm before they poured petroleum product on a JCB machines and set it on fire, the Police sources said.

December 26: Suspected CPI-Maoist cadres killed a postmaster in Giridih District. Two-motorcycle borne gunmen fired three shots at Lal Bihari Yadav, the post master of Boria Dak Ghar, at Deori killing him on the spot, the Police said.

The Maoists pasted posters warning villagers to abide by their (Maoist’s) law in Ramgarh District. According to the villagers, a group of Maoists entered the village and pasted posters on houses and buildings.

December 28: Constant pressure from CPI-Maoist and “frequent humiliation” by Police have driven as many as 40 women of Jhumra villages, including some elderly, to the door of Gomia MLA Madhowlal Singh with the plea to resettle them along with their families elsewhere. The women belonged to the hamlets of Beltharwa, Aman, Suarkatwa and Simrabera — located within a 5sqkm periphery of Jhumra hillocks in Bokaro District.

December 29: The CPI-Maoist cadres killed a social activist named Pradeep Prasad while he was on his way back home in Latehar District. The Maoists took full responsibility of the killing as they suspected him of being a Police informer. "We don't have full knowledge about the incident but we have received a letter which is written by Maoists. He used to do farming and was a social activist," said Raju Prasad, a relative of the victim.


Karnataka

July 19: The CPI-Maoist has a new leader, Vikram Gowda of Hebri in Karkala Taluk in Udupi District. Gowda succeeds B G Krishnamurthy who stepped down from the leadership due to illness, sources said. Krishnamurthy, who was in charge since 2006, and his wife and fellow Maoist, Hosagadde Prabha, suffered from serious illnesses and required to travel often for treatment, leaving Gowda in temporary charge. The Maoist central committee is learnt to have asked Gowda to continue and entrusted Krishnamurthy and Prabha with 'other responsibilities'.

September 10: Chief Minister DV Sadananda Gowda urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to extend Central assistance - similar to the assistance provided to Andhra Pradesh to tackle the Naxal menace. Naxal activity in Karnataka was witnessed in the bordering Districts of Andhra Pradesh such as Gulbarga, Raichur, Bidar and Tumkur during the 1980s and 1990s, which spread to Malnad in the Western Ghats recently. It is feared that this menace will spread to the tri-junction of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, said Gowda in his address to the National Integration Council meeting in New Delhi. Since Karnataka does not receive central funds to fight Naxals, the State is using its own resources by adopting a two-pronged strategy through consistent Police action and increased developmental initiatives, Gowda said. Karnataka has also formulated and implemented a Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy for Naxals and this has proved to be very useful in bringing some of them back into the mainstream, Gowda added.

September 21: The Sathyamangalam forests that played host to notorious brigand and sandalwood smuggler Veerappan is being used by the CPI-Maoist. An intelligence report warned the southern states of the 'activation' of a Maoist SWRB at the 'trijunction' of the three southern states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala despite the strict enforcement and deployment of Police and Special Forces in the rest of India. "The Maoists are trying to establish a Red corridor between the Eastern and the Western Ghats," said an official source. Bengaluru-born Maoist leader Ramesh (50) alias Kuppuswamy is reportedly trying to activate the SWRB comprising the three States, in the area that spans 18,000 square kilometres from Denkenkottai in Tamil Nadu to Anchetty in Kerala.

Karnataka will soon have a permanent force to counter the CPI-Maoist threats to the State. A 500 strong Police force trained in all facets of jungle warfare will be headquartered at Karkala in Udupi District. This force will operate from 13 base camps dotting the Ghats and will no longer be an ad-hoc force of Police personnel deputed from other departments. S M Jaamdar, principal secretary, Home said the training programme for this force is being finalised and recruitment process has commenced. This force will be utilised to counter all non-urban terrorist related activities, Jaamdar explained adding this would provide effective thrust to curbing Maoist activities seen in the Western Ghats.

October 8: A Police Constable was killed in an encounter with suspected CPI-Maoist cadres near kalmanja village in Beltangadi tehsil in Dakshina Kannada District.

October 11: The ANF in the State is planning to set up 15 camps to keep a tab on the CPI-Maoist affected areas of the State. According to ADG, Internal Security, Bipin Gopalakrishna, the department has requested the Government to release INR five million for the purpose. The camp will provide the ANF quick access to the areas affected by such activities.

Reacting to the killing of State ANF constable, Mahadev Mane in an encounter in Beltangadi, State Home Minister, R. Ashoka said outside elements were involved in the incident. "The Naxalites involved in the encounter in Beltangadi are suspected to be from Tamil Nadu. The combing operations in the area have been intensified and the Maoists responsible for the death of the constable will be arrested soon," he said.

October 14: The surrender and rehabilitation process for the Naxals in Karnataka, which was inaugurated with much fanfare by then Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa a year ago, has hit a road block with the State Government showing little interest in its implementation. The Government has exhibited its discriminatory nature by extending more benefits to some Maoist leaders.

December 8: The Kuremukh National Park Nagarika Samiti (KNPNS) said it is prepared to discharge the role as a mediator between the CPI-Maoist and the Government, if the Maoists are interested to join the mainstream. Advisor to the Samiti, Nagesh Angeerasa, said in a press conference, that the Samiti members have respect for the Maoists, who have been fighting for the rights of landless villagers and tribals. He requested them to stop losing lives in their armed revolt against the Government, and join the mainstream on the lines of Maoists in Nepal.

December 30: ANF headed by DIG Alok Kumar, stepped up combing operations in the Naxal-affected areas in Malnad Districts following the killing of Sadashiva Gowda, a bamboo basket weaver four days ago [December 26], by the CPI-Maoist cadres in a thick forest in Thondalkatte near Naadpalu, about 70 kilometres from Udupi. A poster beside the body was recovered with a warning, ``right punishment will be given to the Police informers-Maoist.” Karnataka’s Home and Transport Minister R Ashok said the ANF has intensified combing operations in Udupi and other Malnad Districts to arrest Maoists.

State Home Minister revealed, “Naxalism in Karnataka is on the decline as the State government has aggressively and simultaneously pushed for the combing operations in the Naxal-infested areas. Naxals who come back to mainstream society are also offered an attractive rehabilitation package. However, it is feared that Naxals on contract from neighbouring Tamil Nadu and Kerala are entering the State to keep the movement alive.”


Kerala

January 7: The Vice-Chancellor, Rajan Gurukkal of the Mahatma Gandhi University, Priyadarshini Hills in Kottayam District, has sought a Police inquiry into the veracity and origin of reports that appeared in a section of the media on reported CPI-Maoist connection with four former students. The students were from the School of International Relations and Politics (SIRP) and said to have hailed from Chhattisgarh and West Bengal. University authorities said preliminary inquiries by Professor Gurukkal found that the content of the reports was baseless. However, since National Security and the credibility of one of the flagship teaching departments of the university were involved, it was decided to refer the matter to the Department of Home Affairs. A letter seeking a Police inquiry has been sent to State Home Minister, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.

June 9: According to highly placed sources in the Indian intelligence agencies, the SIMI and the CPI-Maoist have recently conducted a secret meeting in Kottayam District of Kerala. The meeting was to formulate strategies for a joint action in Kerala. While both the groups had earlier met in Palakkad, this is the first time that such a meeting has taken place in central Kerala, sources pointed out. Intelligence officials, who were tracking the movements of a couple who are allegedly leading the underground Maoist movement in Kerala, have found that SIMI cadres were actually entering into some pact with the Maoists. The intelligence agencies are trying to find out as to what sort of understanding the two groups have.

August 30: The Police gathered vital information about the possible hideouts of Roopesh alias Praveen, a CPI-Maoist leader in the State. Roopesh had escaped the Police net at least three times in the recent past. He is the former 'state secretary' of the CPI-Maoist and is wanted in a case related to the harbouring of Maoist politburo member Malla Raji Reddy, who was arrested from Ankamali in December, 2007.

October 14: Human rights activist and former CPI-Maoist cadre, A Vasu and five others were taken into custody by Thrissur Police on suspicion of Maoist connections as intelligence reports speak of reorganization of Left Wing Extremists in the State's tribal areas. They were released after six hours of questioning and intervention by leading rights workers of Kerala. The Thrissur East Town Police took Vasu, known popularly as Gro Vasu, and his associates into custody at about 6.00 am from a rest-house, as they were returning after a visit to the house of Rupesh, said to be an activist with inter-State Maoist connections. The others held with Vasu were identified as Gopal, Balagopal, Sugathan, Haridas and Ajayan.


Madhya Pradesh

January 30: A woman CPI-Maoist ‘commander’, identified as Jhinia Pusam (32), was arrested from Lanji area in Balaghat District, close to the Chhattisgarh border. Jhinia, carrying a reward of more than INR one lakh on her head was wanted for the 1999 murder of former Madhya Pradesh Transport Minister Lakhiram Kaware in the District and also in more than 45 cases including those of murder, arson and looting in State, the Police said.

Jhinia, a resident of village Rasimata in Balaghat, eastern Madhya Pradesh, joined the Maoists in 1994. After joining the Maoists, she was known as Pushpa alias Rukma and was once the commander of Tanda Dalam, which operates along the border between Madhya Pradesh's Balaghat District and Chhattisgarh's Rajnandgaon District, the Police added. She had been the former commander of Darakasa Dalam which operates in the State and Maharashtra and ex-‘commander’ of Job Dalam of Rajnandgaon, Police said. After joining the Maoists, Jhinia went through two marriages; both the husbands were fellow Maoists, Police said. "We are interrogating her to extract vital information regarding the Maoists," said IG Balaghat and Mandla Districts, C B Muniraju.

February 24: 300 personnel of the CoBRA, a special anti-Naxal force, have been deployed in Balaghat District to combat the growing presence of the CPI-Maoist cadres. The deployment is part of a strategy to surround Naxal-hit areas in Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar and Odisha, said an intelligence officer, requesting anonymity. The Centre will decide standard operating procedures for them. In the first phase, these battalions were trained at the army’s insurgency and jungle warfare training centre in Mizoram and the CRPF’s anti-terror training centre at Silchar. Of the 10 COBRA battalions trained in guerrilla warfare, nine have already been deployed in Maoist-hit States. The deployment of three companies of COBRA in Balaghat follows a recent spurt in Maoist activity in the area. "We have fresh intelligence inputs that Naxalites are coercing tribal youths to join the movement," IG V Muniraju said. "We have already started sending them in search operation along with the state’s anti-Naxal squads," Muniraju said. He, however, refused to comment on when and how CoBRA will begin its operation.

April 10: Four leaders of the CPI-Maoist were arrested by Madhya Pradesh Police from an arms dump in the State capital Bhopal. The arrested leaders have been identified as Divakar Patil, Sunitha, Pentaiah and Ramesh. "A Police Officer from Guntur was summoned to confirm the identities of the rebel leaders," a source said. While Divakar is a native of Bapatla town, the other three were residents of Ponnur and Amruthalur towns in Guntur District in Andhra Pradesh. They had joined the Naxal (LWE) movement a decade ago and worked in Bollapalli, Veldurthy and Pullalacheruvu dalams for more than six years. "They shifted their base to MP following the aggressive Police hunt in the Nallamala region in the last four years," sources said. The antecedents of the arrested Maoists are yet to be known, police believe they might have been working in coordination with the armed dalams in the forests. "They initially worked as weapon carriers in Guntur District and subsequently promoted," a Police official said.

May 11: The Police recovered over one quintal of highly inflammable explosives and five kilogram gun-powder from the Muchurda Valley forest in Balaghat District. The explosives, which were suspected to be hidden by the Maoist cadres in a pit, were recovered during a search operation in the forest, SP Sachin Atulkar said. "The spot from where this explosive material was recovered is very sensitive, as it is located close to the Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh borders," "Though no one has been arrested in this regard yet, search is on for those responsible", Atulkar added.

May 29: Security was tightened in Balaghat District following intelligence inputs that around 60-80 cadres of the CPI-Maoist have sneaked in from Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh. "Some Naxal movement has been reported in the district and we have intensified night vigil and patrolling in the forested area," IG of Police for Naxal-affected Districts, C B Muniraju said.

June 20: Explosives used in claymore mine and supplementary material that weighed 70 kilograms were recovered by the Police from near the Tanda River in Balaghat District, close to Chhattisgarh border. "Based on a tip-off, we recovered seven steel plates, fuses, switches, wires, flashes, detonators and explosives used in claymore mine from village Dhiri close to Tanda river yesterday," IGP C B Muniraju said. The Police are yet to ascertain the links with the CPI-Maoist.

August 12: Two CPI-Maoist cadres were arrested by the Madhya Pradesh Police. Singrauli District SP, Irshad Wali said, "The members belonged to the Renga Yadav dalam. One of them had killed Renga in June and was trying to regroup the dalam." The arrested duo was mainly running extortion rackets in Singrauli and bordering Chhattisgarh, the Police claimed. "We also seized some weapons, along with some live ammunition from them," said the SP.

November 21: State Home Minister Uma Shankar Gupta informed the State legislative assembly that the CPI-Maoist has its presence in eight Districts of Madhya Pradesh as of now. The minister informed that in 2003 only three Districts - Balaghat, Mandla, Dindori - were Maoist affected. The next year the Maoists spread to Sidhi District when they committed a murder. "Apart from these Districts, Maoists activities are now being witnessed in Singrauli, Shahdol, Umaria and Anupur Districts", he pointed out. He said the CPI-Maoist and two of its frontal organisations - Krantikari Kissan Committee and Krantikari Jan committee - have been banned in the State.

December 10: Union Minister for Rural Development Jairam Ramesh was forced to cancel his visit to Madhya Pradesh in the wake of inputs of CPI-Maoist's threat. Ramesh was to have gone to Balaghat on December 9-evening and reached the airport to take a BSF plane to Nagpur en route to his destination. But, according to informed sources, Intelligence Bureau authorities stopped him from proceeding, saying there was movement of Maoists in Balaghat on the border with Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh. Ramesh however had decided to cover by road almost 250 kilometers, refusing to use a chopper.

December 20: Five Naxals, including a couple, were sentenced to life imprisonment by a local court for running an illegal manufacturing unit on the fringe of Bhopal city, apparently to supply firearms to their cadres.

December 24: Amid civil authorities finding it difficult to carryout development initiatives in the LWE affected District of Balaghat, State Police says its own wing could be pressed into service for taking up activities such as construction of roads in the disturbed tribal areas. "Madhya Pradesh already has a separate wing of 7th battalion, known as Pioneer, which is capable to handle such development initiatives. If the Government entrusts the task to us, this agency can be expanded and deployed for taking up works in the Naxalite affected areas of Balaghat district", DGP S K Raut said.


Maharashtra

January 2: A sympathiser of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Sudhir Dhawale was arrested at Wardha railway station in Wardha District.

January 4: Two Maoist cadres identified as Srinivas alias Sachin Ailayya Zumble (27) and Bhaskar alias Akshay alias Sachin Kore (27) were arrested in a Police raid in Saundad village in Gondia District. The arrested duo, Srinivas, resident of Anandnagar, and Bhaskar, a resident of Matanagar of Chandrapur, were living in the house of one Shantabai Shahare for the last three years and were involved in Maoist activities there. A lot of incriminating Maoist literature along with four pen drives, three mobile phones and six SIM cards, one micro adapter, two memory cards were seized from their possession, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Vishwa Pansare said.

January 11: Constable Manikrao Khadse received bullet injury after cadres of the CPI-Maoist fired upon a combined SF from Kasansur Police Station near Punnoor village in Etapalli Tehsil of Gadchiroli District. Khadse was part of the combined SF of Kasansur Police post, including around 60 CRPF troopers, which had gone to Punnoor village. ASP of Aheri, Ranjan Sharma, said SFs found blood stains on 3-4 places during the search at the encounter site. "This suggests that at least three-four Maoists might have been injured in the exchange of fire. No one could be arrested," he said. He further said Police have not recovered any body or Maoist material from the encounter site either.

Police seized 300 Maoist pamphlets aimed to popularise CPI-Maoist doctrine, letters written in Gondi language, paper clippings about Maoist activities and the Government's efforts to bring the activities under control, banners against the Government and in support of Naxalism (LWE) and incriminatory documents and from the room of one Jeevan Kolhe (30) in Yavatmal District. However, Jeevan managed to escape. Jeevan had been staying in the room for the last two years and was reportedly supplying information to Maoists in the Chandrapur-Gondia belt while staying in Yavatmal.

January 14: Security Forces and cadres of the CPI-Maoist exchanged fire at Gudekasa forest, around 10 kilometres away from Murumgaon in Gadchiroli District. "It was probably a section of the military dalam. The armed Naxals (LWE) had halted overnight in the jungle," said SDPO Amit Kale of Dhanora. "The Naxals were around 50 in number," he added. Though there were no casualties reported on the either side, sources claimed to have spotted blood stains at nearly seven places where the Maoists had taken position. Police has pressed for efficient C-60 commandos into service from Gadchiroli Police Headquarters to continue search operations in the area.

January 15: Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist triggered a low-intensity landmine blast in Yerkad in Dhanora Tehsil in Gadchiroli District. In the blast a Police jeep was damaged and Prashant Muktavaram, the jeep driver, sustained some cuts, Police said.

January 22: SF personnel recovered about 32 kilograms of explosives planted by the cadres of the CPI-Maoist near Repanpalli-Chhlewada village in Aheri Taluka in Gadchiroli District. Dog squads and a special Police party, deployed in the area, stumbled upon a cable line during a demining operation on the road stretch, which led to recovery of the explosives and 95 metres of wire from the area, the Police said.

February 5: A group of armed cadres of the CPI-Maoist opened fire at Laheri Police Station, under Bhamragarh division, in Gadchiroli District. The exchange of fire between Police and the Maoists continued for a long time, Police said, adding that no casualty had been reported in the incident so far. Later, the Maoists set ablaze a road roller of private contractor between Bhamragarh and Laheri in the day, they added. The Maoists incidents have occurred during their 'Virodh Diwas' (protest day) agitations that began from February 4 to 6 and bandh on February 7 across India protesting Government's failure to keep the prices of essential commodities under check.

A group of cadres of the CPI-Maoist numbering about 30 to 40 came to the site of under-construction Piperkhari Gauritola Road near Piperkhari village of Deori tehsil in Gondia District and set ablaze a road roller.

February 9: An alleged CPI-Maoist cadre Bhimrao Bhowate alias Bhanu was taken into Police custody for his reported involvement in Left-Wing Extremist activities in Nagpur. Bhowate was arrested along with his wife Sunanda alias Megha and three others by the Gondia Police in December 2010. Maoist literature and other pro-revolutionary material had been recovered from them.

February 10: Cadres of the CPI-Maoist set up a memorial to pay homage to the martyrs of century-old Bhoomkal movement on the side of a highway connecting Maharashtra with Chhattisgarh in Dhanora tehsil in Gadchiroli District and put up a stone in the middle of the road and tied a banner that urged the Government to withdraw the Operation Green Hunt. [Bhoomkal movement was launched by the tribals against the British rule.] Teams of Gadchiroli District Police, C-60 commandos and Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad rushed to the place after wires were spotted near the memorial. The stuck traffic was released gradually after the Police removed the obstacle.

March 12: A missing youth from Bihar, identified as Santosh Gulab Mishra (25) was killed by the CPI-Maoist cadres in Wangejhari area in Etapalli Taluka of Gadchiroli District. The Police said Mishra was missing from his house in Bihar since the last five months.

March 13: Sadashiv Lengure (45), deputy Sarpanch of Repanpalli gram panchayat and ward member at Chhallewada in Aheri Taluka was suspected to be killed by the CPI-Maoist cadres in Gadchiroli District. Lengure, also a Congress party worker had gone to Kamlapur in the morning and on his way back to Chhallewada he was being killed by the suspected cadres, Police said.

March 15: The West Bengal Police took the custody of a suspected CPI-Maoist cadre identified as Akher Abdul Gaffar Mandal (35), who was arrested by the Maharashtra ATS from Tata Nagar hutments at Govandi on March 10. "Mondal was accused in the Explosives and Arms case in 2003 and the Arms Act case in 2007. With his accomplices, he had attacked Naroliya Anchal panchayat office on December 23 last year and killed the village pradhan using country-made arms and bombs." Rakesh Maria, ADG (ATS), said. "Following the murder, Mandal escaped from West Bengal and took refuge in Pune for some time, before coming to Mumbai. We have informed the West Bengal Police and a team is on its way to take his custody," said Maria.

March 19: The District Police's C-60 commando units engaged the CPI-Maoist cadres led by Dhanora Dalam area commander Dinkar in an encounter in Shivanghat forest in Dhanora tehsil in Gadchiroli District. The encounter lasted for around 40-minutes before the Maoists started retreating. "There may not be any confirmation of casualties on the Maoists side but witnesses claimed that a couple of injured were dragged away," ASP, Chandrasekhar Meena said. The Police recovered six pittus (backpacks), one claymore mine, one SLR magazine with 20 live cartridges, around five detonators, about 100-feet wire, two sacks in which weapons and ammunitions are carried and two Maoists dairies including one of Dinkar. Among the materials recovered were posters against the Chhattisgarh Government and its Chief Minister Raman Singh in particular. There were other Maoists literatures too. It referred to the outfit’s ideologies and criticism of the Paramilitary Forces.

March 20: A group of armed CPI-Maoist cadres reportedly killed Keju Damaji Ichami (60) in Jabti-Khandi village in Gadchiroli District. About 20 to 25 armed Maoists, including women, woke up Ichami from his house and forcibly took him to a nearby forest and killed him by attacking with sharp weapons, the Police said adding that the motive of the killing was not immediately known.

March 26: Salwa Judum leader from Chhattisgarh, K Madhukar Rao will undertake a three-day public awareness campaign against CPI-Maoist in Bhamragarh tehsil of Gadchiroli District. Rao, started the Salwa Judum campaign in Chhattisgarh in June 2005, at Karkeli village of Bijapur District, will address rallies of people in Lahiri, Bhamragarh and Bhatpar villages. SP Veeresh Prabhu said, "He sought permission for rallies. So, we made enquiry about him with our counterparts in Bijapur where he belongs. We got positive reports, so we decided to allow him. Rao is going to create awareness among tribals about how Maoists have been throttling development, how they have unleashed a culture of violence and how they don’t follow what they preach."

March 29: Ranchi Police arrested two cadres of the CPI-Maoist, including a dalam ‘commander’ in Shahada tehsil of Nandurbar District. On a tip off, a team of Ranchi Police in collaboration with their Nandurbar counterparts arrested the two cadres identified as Chhotu Singh Munda (25) and Budharam Munda (30), both residents of Baredi village of Tamad tehsil in Ranchi District, the Police said. Besides their suspected involvement in a 2009 landmine blast in Jharkhand in which four Policemen were killed, the two were also wanted in cases of abduction and rape. Police said the Maoists, who had fled from Ranchi, worked in Malkapur of Buldhana District, before adopting fake aliases of Shukva Munda and Barish Munda in a ginning mill in Untavad in Shahada tehsil.

March 30: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist abducted a person from Nehalkal village and killed him on suspicion of him being a Police informer in Korchi tehsil of Gadchiroli District. The dead body of the slain, Budharam Pudo (35), was recovered on Kotgul-Sonepur road on March 31 Sources said that a band of Maoists reached the village during late night hours and summoned Pudo out of his house. They accused him of being a Police informer and took him with them in the forest, killed him and threw his dead body along the road some one-and-a-half kilometre away from Kotgul Police outpost.

April 2: A former CPI-Maoist cadre and three Policemen of SAP (Anti-Maoist Operation) were arrested by the Police in Gadchiroli District. According to Police, surrendered Maoist Raghu alias Jalmasai Sadmake (38) along with three constables identified as Ratan Gorgunda (31), Peta Mara Talandi (30), and Deepak Madhavrao Atram (29) entered the house of local businessman, Manoj Motilal Makhija, in village Kadholi in Kurkheda Tehsil and looted INR 40,000 at gun point. The accused demanded INR One million from Motilal and threatened to blow up his truck, parked outside, before decamping with INR 40,000 cash, the Police said.

April 8: A Police constable, Dhananjay Mhaske was killed in an encounter between Special Operation Squad and CPI-Maoist cadres near Kandoli village in Etapalli tehsil of Gadchiroli District. While three more constables, Shankar Pungati, Prashant Mesharam and Sunil Tore were injured in the incident. Police sources said that a C-60 party was carrying out anti-Maoists operations in the jungle near Kandoli village when lurking Maoists ambushed the troopers at around 4pm, according to The Times of India. The troopers retaliated, and an encounter started between the two sides. ASP, Aheri Ranjan Kumar Sharma confirmed the death of one of the troopers in the encounter with the Maoists.

April 10: The State DGP Ajit Parasnis admitted while talking to reporters in Nagpur, that the Naxals (LWE) too had developed a strong intelligence network parallel to that of the Security Agencies. Parasnis visited Gadchiroli District Police Headquarters along with a team of the senior officers of State Police and Central Paramilitary Forces to pay homage to C-60 trooper Dhananjay Mhaske, killed in an encounter with the cadres of the CPI-Maoist on April 8. "The DGP also had a brief discussion with the senior officials about the compensation package that can be offered to the injured C-60 commando. The top Police Officer had been repeatedly assuring the jawan that he would stand by his family too," said the hospital source. Parasnis, apart from attending a meeting of the personnel to hear their grievances, also took review of the law and order situation in the District. The DGP is learnt to have spent time with the senior officials discussing the details of the security arrangement and anti-Naxal operation tactics. "We had gone for a search operation after there was an input regarding presence of Naxals in that particular area. Like the Police Parties had the input regarding the Naxals, the rebels too had managed to gather information about Police presence," said Parasnis.

April 11: Chichgarh squad of Anti-Naxal (LWE) Special Action Force recovered arms and ammunition from CPI-Maoist hideouts between Chichgarh and Maisuli forests in Gondia District. This ammunition was being accumulated here for some future attack in this region. The estimated cost of this ammunition is over INR 16,000. While the Chichgarh anti-Naxal squad was on routine combing operation, it received a tip-off that some ammunition has been stashed away in the forest. The squad recovered the cache that included two stengun magazines, one stengun, 9mm pistols with 56 live rounds and material related to Maoist movement.

April 19: Six CRPF troopers were injured in an encounter with the CPI-Maoist cadres in the forests of Khobramendha near Malewada village under Wadsa division of Gadchiroli District. One of the injured troopers, identified as Mahendra Singh from Punjab, later died of his injuries. Viresh Prabhu, SP, Gadchiroli said that the encounter started following CRPF troopers getting information about heavy Maoists presence in the Khobramendha forest. "We suspected couple of deaths from the Naxalite (LWE) side as heavy firing witnessed from both the sides," he said. However, the District administration could not find a single body of Naxalite at the site.

The security agencies in Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh are verifying the death of Maoist cadre Mangal Singh Korchami alias Diwakar, 'commander' of the Tippagarh dalam and 'secretary' of the North Gadchiroli division of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee in Nagpur. Diwakar's family in Talwargarh village in North Gadchiroli received the news of the death through a letter supposedly sent by his dalam. Police sources say that Diwakar wanted to start a separate outfit. The Tippagarh dalam was largely responsible for the 51 Police deaths in 2009.

April 20: A senior CPI-Maoist couple, identified as 'commander' Surya alias Ramesh Gawde and his wife Jamuna alias Dasri Atram, belonging to the Sironcha dalam, surrendered before the Police in Gadchiroli District. According to the Police, they escaped from their place of posting in Chhattisgarh to reach the Gadchiroli SP office a few days ago. "It is a big surrender. They have been senior cadres in dalams since 2005. While Surya is 26, Jamuna is 20. They contacted me from Chhattisgarh saying they wanted to give up arms since they were feeling suffocated and wronged," SP Veeresh Prabhu said. The couple is involved in at least 10 cases of crimes, including firing on the Police, arson and murders, the SP claimed.

Top Police officials of Gadchiroli District visited Kandholi and other nearby villages and met the locals as part of a drive to boost confidence of villagers in the anti-Naxal (LWE) fight. They engaged the villagers in the discussion to fight the Maoists. A large number of villagers turned up for the meeting and vowed to fight the extremists, the Police said.

April 19: Mangal Singh Korchami alias Diwakar, a top ranking Naxal (LWE) leader was killed by dalam members of the CPI-Maoist in Nagpur District. Diwakar was the ‘commander’ of the Tippagarh dalam and ‘secretary’ of the North Gadchiroli division of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) in Nagpur. Diwakar and his wife, Jyoti had been instrumental in strengthening the Naxal base in the northern part of the District. Police sources say that Diwakar wanted to start a separate outfit. The Tippagarh dalam was largely responsible for the 51 Police deaths in 2009.

April 25: The ATS arrested a top cadre of the CPI-Maoist identified as Anjali Sontakke alias Angela, was arrested from Thane District. Anjali is also known by other names like Kavita, Sunita Patil, Iskara and Rama. She is the wife of Deepak Teltumbde, ‘secretary’ of the State Committee for North Gadchiroli, Gondia and Balaghat division of the CPI-Maoist and herself its member. Anjali had begun as a member of a front organization following which she graduated into the mainstream of the arms struggle. She was currently working as an urban cadre and trying to garner support and make recruitments. Anjali worked with the Dewri and Khobramenda dalams in the North Gadchiroli, Gondia and Balaghat division. She had apparently also received training in Dandakaranya of Abujhmad area of Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh. ATS sources said that several incriminating documents and literature have been recovered from the place where Anjali was arrested. They claimed that she had nearly 20 offences registered against her.

April 26: The ATS arrested a woman cadre of the CPI-Maoist identified as Sushma Ramteke alias Shraddah Gurav alias Arti (27), from a rented apartment in Talaopali area in Thane District. A team led by Police officers Jitendra Agarkar and Shailash Gaikwad arrested Sushma on the information revealed during interrogation by Anjali Sontakke alias Angela, a member of the newly-formed Golden Corridor Committee (GCC) of the Maoist arrested on April 25, said ATS Chief Rakesh Maria. The Police have recovered a large quantity of Naxal (LWE) literature, laptops, CDs, audio, video tapes, press notes and cash amounting to INR 455, 000 cash from her. “Sushma heads the base in Pune, which they have been using since 2008. The group targets urban hutments and areas in industrial belts to spread their ideology and recruit tribals. The base in Pune ensured that these two [Angela and Sushma] organise procurement of weapons, flash cameras and other equipment needed by the group. She was involved in handling the salary, in arranging financial assistance, a safe haven for the group members, medical assistance and procurement and storage of weapons. She was also involved in sending the weapons safely when needed to locations decided," said Maria. “Sushma was working as a marketing agent in a Pune-based company under the name Shradha Gurav. They probably used this as a cover,” added Maria.

April 27: Three women CPI-Maoist cadres, identified as Mayuri Bhagat alias Jenny (23), Jyoti Chorghe (19) and Anuradha Sonule (23) were arrested by the Maharashtra ATS from Pune District. All the three were produced before a local court on April 29 and were remanded to Police custody till May 3. INR 190, 000 cash, Maoist literature, five mobile phone handsets and SIM cards were recovered from the rented houses of Bhagat and Chorghe, Maria said. "Their bank accounts were also freezed," he added. Sonule, a native of Rajura in Chandrapur, was the sister of Manoj Sonule, adds Times of India. Chandrapur Police had arrested Manoj in 2008 after neutralised a Maoist hideout meant to stock arms and ammunition. Bhagat and Chorghe were from Pune.

April 28: Maoist cadre identified as Siddharth Bhosale alias Jeeva (24), aide of Sonule was arrested from Chandawa area in Nashik District, ATS Chief Rakesh Maria said. He was produced before a local court on April 29 and was remanded to Police custody till May 3.

May 1: 61 tribal youths from Gadchiroli District, arrested for reported links with CPI-Maoist, have written a letter to the Chief Minister, on the occasion of 51st anniversary of creation of Maharashtra, threatening to go on a hunger strike to protest their detention without trial. "We have been implicated under false charges and the allegations made against us cannot hold up before the court. Therefore the Government has adopted a policy of keeping us rotting in prison and not producing us before the court. We would go on a hunger-strike in protest," the letter to Prithviraj Chavan says. "We should be freed from this mental torture by speedily disposing of the cases pending against us. We have been kept in jails just on suspicion, and refused bail," letter says.

15 CPI-Maoist cadres, including a 'commander', a 'deputy commander' and seven women cadres, surrendered before Maharashtra Home Minister R. R. Patil in Gadchiroli District. The 'commander' was identified as Suryu Ramesh Violla Gawde (26), while the 'deputy commander' was identified as Shekar Duge (26), the Police added.

May 5: A landmine blast triggered by the CPI-Maoist cadres killed six persons of a family, including a five-year-old boy, on Gadchiroli-Rajnandgaon road near Tavitola village in Dhanora Police Station limit in Gadchiroli District. Gadchiroli SP S Veeresh Prabhu, said, "It is very shocking the way Naxals LWE didn't bother to check on their target before triggering the blast." Naxals are learnt to have followed up the blast with constant firing on the victims.

The deceased were identified as Tarulata Sarkar (70), Pushplata Verma (42), Santosh Verma (45), Aakash Verma (5), Shankari Biswas (30) and driver Rais (28) while the four injured persons were Ishika Das (11), Mita Biswas (40), Mrs Rai (45), and Manoram Sarkar (28). The persons were travelling from Rajnandgaon District in Chhattisgarh to Chandrapur District. Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Amit Kale, Dhanora tehsil, said that Police have learnt from Maoists pamphlets recovered in Chhattisgarh that the Maoists would now target civilians in order to obliterate Police Force. "The pamphlets mentioned that the Naxals were ready to sacrifice 20-23 civilians in order to kill a single Policeman. It could also be a case of call ambush to draw Police personnel to the jungles," said Kale.

April 19: SP Viresh Prabhu confirmed the death of a top CPI-Maoist leader Nagesh alias Shankar Tukka Pungati (38), 'commander-in-chief' of North Gadchiroli-Gondia division, along with two other Maoist cadres on the basis of Maoists pamphlets recovered from Malewada Village in Kurkheda Taluk in Gadchiroli District. Nagesh was killed along with two other Maoist cadres in a fierce encounter in the forests of Khobramendha near Malewada village under Wadsa division of Gadchiroli District. The two other slain Maoists were 'platoon party member' Manglu (17) and PLGA member Manju (17). While Manglu belonged to Bastar area in Chhattisgarh, Manju hailed from Pipli (Burgi) village in Etapalli tehsil of Aheri sub-division of the District. "Nagesh was mastermind of several attacks on security forces. The death of two juvenile Naxalites proves that Naxals are enticing the juvenile youths to join the movement," the SP added.

Nagesh had clubbed four different Maoists dalams and had laid ambush on a patrolling party of CRPF in the hilly terrain of Khobramendha jungles. However, pamphlets of Maharashtra State Committee of Maoists recovered from Malewada a couple of days back claimed that three Maoists including Nagesh were killed in the Khobramendha encounter. "We will avenge each drop of our comrades by spoiling Operation Green Hunt," the pamphlet added.

May 9: The Maoist cadres set ablaze construction material at an under construction Government building at Perimili in Aheri tehsil of the District.

May 10: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist triggered an IED targeting a Police patrol party in the forests at Alapalli-Etapallu road near Tondel village in Gadchiroli District. "After the blast, the Naxals opened fire at the Police. The operation is going on. Because the operation is on in deep jungles (forest), there is no detailed report as yet," Viresh Prabhu, Gadchiroli SP, said. He said that the blast occurred at around 6.30pm. "The Police opened fire in retaliation. There are no reports of casualty as yet," he said.

May 12: The Maharashtra ATS arrested 10 CPI-Maoist cadres hailing from West Midnapore District in West Bengal, from their hideout at Shirur in Pune District. "We arrested 10 persons from the Pune railway station complex yesterday [Thursday] at 11.15 p.m. as they were about to flee trying to board the Azad Hind Express. Preliminary investigation showed that they were involved in operations in West Midnapore," Rakesh Maria, ATS Chief, said. The arrested Maoists are identified as Nripin Mahato alias Sanna (23), Rudra Mahato (19), Anando Mahato (37), Robi Hansdas (19), Robi Mahato (19), Sushanto Mahato (36), Satyajit Rana (18), Ajit Mahato (35), Pintu Mahato (19), and Kadu Hembram (21). Anando and Sushanto are brothers. Anando is an Arts graduate and Sushanto holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree.

ATS Chief, Maria said six of the 10 arrested had Police records in West Midnapore and were associated with pro-Maoist Sidhu Kanu Gana Militia of West Bengal. "They are all grass root cadres, known as gun militia there," Maria said. Only two of the 10 are well educated. One of the arrestee Robi Hansdas is a cadre of the PLGA, military wing of the Maoists, who along with Rudra, was involved in a bomb blast on June 30, 2010, Maria said. Nripin, Anando and Robi Mahato were involved in the killing of a Police informer in West Midnapore on November 2, 2010, Maria added. The ATS officials recovered 300 pages of Maoist literature, four 7.65 mm pistols (country-made) and seven rounds of cartridges from them.

May 13: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist reportedly killed Lalsay Chandu Helami (37), accusing him of being a Police informer, in the Gadchiroli District. Helami was abducted by the Maoists and they stabbed him after tying his hands and legs and blindfolding him, at Nawatola village in Korchi tehsil of the District. They shot him in the chest and killed him, Police said.

May 14: Two persons travelling in a pickup tempo carrying groceries were abducted by the CPI-Maoist cadres and later their vehicle was set ablaze near Arvel forest in Gadchiroli District. Sources said that trader Vijay Gupta from Allapalli dispatched the vehicle filled with milk, groceries and vegetables meant for Paramilitary Forces camping at various places in Bhairamgarh tehsil. A group of Maoists intercepted the vehicle in the forests of Arvel and reportedly looted everything kept inside it. The tempo diver Anwar and Parag Pandhre were abducted by Maoist cadres and taken into the forest.

May 19: Following the arrest of suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist from the Pune District recently, the Pune rural Police have formed a special Anti Naxal and Anti Terrorist Cell to gather intelligence on activities related to Naxalism and terrorism.

Four Police personnel, including two SPOs and over 20 CPI-Maoist cadres were killed in two different encounters in Gadchiroli District. "At around 7.30 a.m. in Nalgonda forest, four C60 commando search parties were ambushed by Naxalites. The ambush and exchange of fire went on for more than 1 hour and 15 minutes. One Police constable, Chinna Gilla Venta (30), was killed and two were injured," Rahul Sheth, Gadchiroli ASP Operations said. Sheth said 12-14 Naxals were killed. "When our Police parties chased the Naxals, they ran away and left behind two bodies. An AK-47 magazine was found on one of the bodies, indicating that the deceased was a senior commander."

In the second encounter, Sheth said two C60 teams on a search operation from Tadgao post in Gadchiroli were attacked by Naxalites. "At around 9.15 a.m., they discovered an IED on the Tadgao-Bhamragad road. When they proceeded to the Bejur hillock to conduct a search operation, the Naxals sitting in ambush attacked them. We lost two SPOs and one constable in that attack which continued for around two hours," he said. "Around eight to 10 Naxals were killed. But their colleagues took away their bodies with them," he added. The Police did not recover any weapon as "the Naxals ran away with all their weapons," Sheth said.

May 23: The State ATS, Pune unit, informed a magisterial court that the 10 suspected LWE arrested from the Pune railway station complex belong to the CPI-Maoist, and several others are still being sheltered in Pune region and other parts of the State. DSP Vinod Satav said in the remand plea that the ATS is probing the possibility whether they have recruited locals for Maoist.

In the wake of increased CPI-Maoist activities in the State and surrounding areas, the Maharashtra Government has upgraded the rank of anti-Naxal operations (ANO) chief from the existing DIG to ADGP, to better counter the Maoist threat, an official said.

June 3: A young woman CPI-Maoist cadre surrendered before the authorities in Gadchiroli District. The Maoist, identified as Kalpana Jantri Madavi (24) confessed before the Police that she belonged to Darekasa Dalam and was actively involved in a number of encounters and land mine blasts. She did not carry any weapons at the time of surrender before the Superintendent of Police Gadchiroli, the Police said.

June 4: A farm labourer identified as Gilla Gawade (40) was abducted by the Maoists from his home in Burgi village in Etapalli tehsil in Gadchiroli District and was killed on suspicion of being Police informer.

June 5: A group of Maoists abducted Bajirao Madavi (44) from Yedaskuhi village in Kurkheda tehsil in Gadchiroli District and shot him dead in a nearby forest on suspicion of being Police informer.

June 7: Two suspected Maoists robbed a railway gateman at his post between Bakal and Rajnandgaon railway stations in Nagpur District. The suspected Maoists decamped with cash, mobile phone and bike belonging to the gateman. They also threatened to blow up the railways track which passes through the forest areas considered as a Maoist den.

June 9: The CPI-Maoist cadres beheaded two youths abducted from different villages in Chamorshi block of Gadchiroli District. Their dead bodies were found in the forest in Ghot area in the next morning. The victims were identified as Rakesh Kohi of Kadbi Tola village and Sharad Narote of Regdi village. Both the deceased youths were reportedly aspiring to join the Police as SPO. However, Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police refuted reports that the youths were planning to become SPOs.

June 13: A 24-year-old youth identified as Sundersha Alam was killed by a group of CPI-Maoist cadres in Repanpalli village in Chamorshi taluka in Gadchiroli District, suspecting him to be a Police informer.

June 20: A recent report prepared by the office of A. K. Joshi, principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) and head of forest force (HoFF), Maharashtra, says Gadchiroli and Gondia Districts are badly affected as far as forestry works are concerned due to activities of the CPI-Maoist. The report says withdrawal of forestry operations like logging, silviculture, bamboo removal, extraction of minor forest produce (MFP) etc. was causing a loss of revenue annually to the tune of over INR 900 million in Gadchiroli District and INR 150 million in Gondia District. The report says the Maoist menace is also causing loss of 3.55 million man-days employment in Gadchiroli and 300,000 man-days in Gondia.

June 25: A former deputy sarpanch, also a road contractor, was killed by CPI-Maoist cadres at Murumgaon, bordering Chhattisgarh in Gadchiroli District. According to reports, a group of Maoists stormed the residence of Ramchandra Bahirwar (58) and called him outside to talk. There ensued a heated exchange of words between them that led the Maoists gunning him down.

June 26: Suspected Maoists killed a youth identified as Shrikant Telange (32), for allegedly being a Police informer in Ubapli in Dhanora tehsil in the District.

June 28: The Naxalism-hit Gadchiroli and Chandrapur Districts are set to receive INR 800 million from the Union Government for development of infrastructure to market agricultural produce. "The government will set up 18 Agriculture Produce Market Committees [APMCs] in these two eastern districts of the state, where farmers can market their produce," state agriculture and marketing minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil said.

June 30: Two persons were killed by a group of CPI-Maoist cadres in Khobramendha village in Gadchiroli District. The deceased have been identified as Nizam Shah (42) and Ratan Katange (30).

July 1: A suspected CPI-Maoist sympathizer, Bandu Gawande, was arrested by Sironcha Police of Gadchiroli District from the premises of Nagpur Central Jail as soon as he was released. Bandu Gawande was taken away to Chamorshi, where he was charged under preventive action.

July 7: Three persons were killed allegedly by CPI-Maoist cadres on the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border in two separate incidents in Gadchiroli District. Punjaram Durve (34) was killed by the Maoists in Kotgul village in Korchi taluka.

Two persons identified as Rakesh Goya (20) and Dalsu Pada (35) were killed by the Maoists on suspicion of being Police informers in Peepli-Boorgi village in Kasansur.

Around 1,020 youth from Vidarbha have been recruited by Army over the last nine months, a senior official said. This year Army's Branch Recruitment Office (BRO) in Nagpur, conducted drive at Chandrapur and Amravati besides in Nagpur between April 2010 to January 2011 and recruited 1020 youths for selection in Army, Colonel M S Bains of BRO said. Akola topped the list with 246 youth selected from the city followed by 187 from Amravati, 49 from Gadchiroli and 97 from Nagpur.

July 8: The CPI-Maoist cadres killed a farm labourer at Chichoda village in Dhanora tehsil of Gadchiroli District, suspecting him of being a Police informer. The victim identified as Raju Usendi (34) was shot dead in the village in front of many villagers. Police said that more than 15 armed Maoists entered the village at around 10 pm. They went to the house of Usendi and dragged him out of the house. Alleging him of being a Police informer, the Maoists thrashed him brutally and later shot him point blank and left the village.

State Home Minister R. R. Patil said that the challenges posed by Naxalites should be taken up nationally. The movement, once started on principles of opposing exploitation, has now become highly exploitative, he added. "Naxalites raise funds through extortion from those involved in collection of tendu leaves (used to make bidis), tea estates and mining. The groups receive ammunition stolen from Policemen in Chhattisgarh and Odisha. Such serious issues should be discussed at the national level," Patil said in Pune, while speaking at a function to release a book 'Challenges of Naxalism'.

July 12: The teams of the Gadchiroli Police carried out an operation in the forest near Pipli (Burgi) in Gadchiroli District and arrested five Maoist cadres. The Police recovered four manually loading guns and ammunition from their possession. The arrested Maoists are identified as Buccha Pungati (23), Manku Pada (22), Madi Lekami (30), Madi Pungati (40) and Vinod Pada (21), all residents of Pipli (Burgi).

July 14: In a raid carried out on the basis of a tip-off in Hedri forest under Etapalli division in Gadchiroli District, a woman Maoist cadre identified as Sunita alias Karuna Katwo (27), of Mudher village, was arrested.

July 17: A group of CPI-Maoist cadres reportedly killed three persons including a sarpanch in Korchi Taluka in Gadchiroli District. The victims identified as Motiram Katenge (50), sarpanch of Dabri village, Sudhakar Koreti (40) and Paharsinh Kumre (55), were killed in Bijepar village and their bodies were dumped in neighbouring Mohgaon Tola village, Police said.

July 19: The Police rounded up one Manguram Tulavi, at the interstate bus stop at Ganeshpeth in Pune District. He was suspected to have links with the CPI-Maoist but was later released after questioning.

July 26: The Pune city Police alerted colleges in the city about Naxalite sleeper cells trying to spread their wings on campuses in a bid to attract students to their ideology.

August 2: Two Maoists were arrested by Police from Vengalur in Mulchera taluka of Gadchiroli District in connection with a double murder case. The arrested Maoists are identified as Ramsu Gota (28) and Ramesh Gavade (26). Two persons, Ravindra Sharad Duggaji (27) and Rakesh Koi (28), were allegedly killed by the Maoists on June 9 near Police help centre in Karematola.

August 5: Two Maoists, who were arrested by Gadchiroli Police in a joint operation with paramilitary forces, were produced before the court. The arrested duo was identified as Naxal militia 'commander' Chamru Naitam and his aide Mansaram Naorte from village Bhatamnar village in Dhanora tehsil. They were allegedly involved in hijacking a tanker carrying chemicals while it was passing through dense forest area in Dhanora tehsil on March 10, 2010. A week back, six suspected rebels were arrested from village Munjalgondi which led to the arrest of Naitam and Naorte recently.

August 8: Two C-60 commando personnel were injured when the CPI-Maoist cadres targeted the tail convoy of the NCPCR team in the jungles of Sawanga in Gadchiroli District. The NCPCR team, led by Chairperson Shantha Sinha had gone to Kamangad in Dhanora tehsil, for inspection of an ashramshala.

August 15: A teenage boy, identified as Vishnu Amarsingh Dhanliya (18) from Belgaon village, was injured in an explosion when he tried pulling out a CPI-Maoist banner in Mumgaon at Dhanora taluka in Gadchiroli District.

August 16: Maharashtra Governor K. Sankaranarayanan expressed the need for paying immediate attention to the problems of Gadchiroli, Chandrapur and other Naxal affected Districts. He was interacting with the chairman and members of the Vijay Kelkar panel at Raj Bhavan in Pune. The discussion was held to lay stress on balanced regional development. "If attention is not paid to the developmental concerns of these regions, there would be difficulty in maintaining law and order," he said.

State Home Minister and Gadchiroli guardian minister R.R. Patil said he supports a truce with the Naxalites for the sake of the District's development. He said if Naxalites put down their arms for five years the District would definitely see development. He was speaking during the Independence Day celebrations on August at Gadchiroli. Four Naxalites surrendered arms in his presence on the occasion. Patil said violence by Naxalites was the main hurdle in developing Gadchiroli district. "It has rich natural resources, but is deprived of development, leading to Naxal problem," said Patil. Even as he asked Naxalites to lay down arms for development, he maintained that the state was quite capable of dealing with the Naxal menace.

August 20: One havildar of State Police and two troopers of the CoBRA were killed when cadres of the CPI-Maoist fired at a patrolling party in Makadchuha village in Gadchiroli District. One woman Maoist dalam commander of the Chatgaon dalam identified as Raneeta alias Ramko Hichami (35) was also killed in retaliatory firing. While Havildar Pardeshi Sukudi Devangaon died in the firing, CoBRA troopers, Chandrashekhar Suresh Kore (28) and Yasin Mohammad, succumbed to their injuries. Another trooper Chandan Nath Shirish Kumar and Police sub-inspector Vitthal Pawar were also injured. Police recovered some Maoist literature, a 303 rifle and 14 live rounds from near the body of Raneeta. Raneeta, had been in the dalam for about two decades, was the wife of Sunil, a cadre of the north-Gadchiroli divisional committee of the CPI-Maoist, which is active in this part.

September 2: The Police arrested three CPI-Maoist cadres, identified as Barsay Gawde (40), Subhash Gawde (20) and Saku Pada, in the murder case of trader Ramchandra Gaherwar from Gurrekasa village in Gadchiroli District. Three Maoists dressed in civilian shot Gaherwar from close range on June 25.

September 4: The Gadchiroli Police received five new MPVs with improved features for effective anti-Naxalite operations. The new MPVs have five major upgrades. A better air-conditioning system to ensure that the Policemen seated in the backroom behind the cabin will not feel smothered as used to happen in the earlier vehicle. It has transparent glass windows now instead of opaque like in the earlier versions that will eliminate the need to look through the holes in the panes to take an aim at the enemy. The new vehicles have broad and puncture-proof tyres. The biggest improvement, however, is in terms of the strength of the vehicle to withstand blasts. Earlier version of MPVs had a capacity to withstand up to 5 kilogram blasts whereas the strength has been increased manifold.

September 7: The Maharashtra Government has granted the administrative approval of INR 150 million for the Naxal-infested Gadchiroli District for the year 2011-12.The amount will be utilised for the development of tribals in the region, to raise the income of 30,000 tribal families in the region and will be spent for construction of in well boring, pipeline, repair of old wells, digging of new wells.

Two CPI-Maoist cadres were arrested in Gadchiroli District, in connection with the killing of three Policemen during an encounter in Makadchuha in the District on August 20. The arrestees, identified as Sudhakar Tumroti (22) and Ravindra Marlawar (35), were produced before a local court which remanded them to Police custody till September 17.

September 19: Intelligence agencies reported that contractors are often forced to suspend work due to the fear of CPI-Maoist cadres in Gadchiroli District. "Road and bridge construction work was discontinued at several places after rebels cracked the whip. Pay up or pack up is the unwritten norm," said a security source. Work on a mining project in Gadchiroli was discontinued after Maoists demanded that the work be stopped. Sources said Maoists threatened the company of dire consequences even after a section of the Maoists accepted substantial amounts from project officials. Tendu contractors too have to cough up sizeable sums for collecting the leaves, meant for bidi industry, from the forests in Gadchiroli. "Every contractor of tendu leaves had to pay Rs five lakh to the Naxals in 2011," said a reliable source.

September 19: Borra Vidpi (40) was killed by the Maoists at village Gopnar in Bhamragad tehsil. Sources said that Maoists abducted Vidpi suspecting him to be a Police informer. He was shot dead in the nearby forest and his body was thrown on Hedra Road.

Maoist's banners and a bunch of handbills were recovered from Bramhapuri-Wadsa Road near Bramhapuri in Chandrapur. Separately, the Maoists put up banners and distributed pamphlets near the T point in Chichgad Village in Deori Taluk in Gondia District.

September 20: CPI-Maoist cadres killed three persons in two separate incidents in Gadchiroli District. The Maoists abducted Ranu alias Kiran Pusali (30) and his wife Jaswanda alias Devli (25) from a relative's house in village Jhari in Dhanora tehsil (revenue unit). Later, the duo was shot dead on a hillock near the village. The bodies were left on the road to Jhari village in the same District. The victims were former cadres of the outfit who laid down their arms on May 17, 2010.

September 21: A bandh was observed in Dhanora, Etapalli and Kurkheda tehsils following a call given by the Maoists to mark the 7th foundation day of the CPI-Maoist.

September 22: A team of C 60 battalion of the Police exchanged fire with a CPI-Maoist platoon led by 'commander' Dinesh near Msanjhurwa and Lalzhari villages under Duggipar Police Station in Gondia District. Following a tip-off that Maoists were camping in the area the Police cordoned off the area. The Maoists opened fire seeing the Police, official sources said. Two Maoists are suspected to have been injured in the shoot-out. Police recovered 13 detonators, 10 kilograms of explosives, a Motorola Walkie-Talkie and Maoist literature. SP Chandra Kishore Meena said this was the biggest encounter between the Police and the Maoists in past few years in the District.

September 25: Somji alias Soma Ayutu Made (30), reported to be a top CPI-Maoist 'commander' from Bastar District in Chhattisgarh, was arrested in an operation in Gadchiroli District. "We arrested Somji Made after we laid a trap. Although he was from Bastar, he mainly operated out of Gadchiroli. He is commander of Aheri Militia Dalam and had crossed the border yesterday (Saturday) [September 24]," Gadchiroli SP Veeresh Prabhu said. Made was actively involved in the insurgency and was wanted in cases of murder, attempted murder, triggering landmine blasts and gunfights with the Police.

September 24: A group of CPI-Maoist cadres set ablaze two JCB machines belonging to Border Road Organisation in Wadgham village in Sironcha in Gadchiroli District. Around 100 Maoist cadres reached the village late in the night, woke up two security guards deployed there, poured fuel on the two JCB machines and set those ablaze.

SFs neutralised an intensive training camp of the CPI-Maoist in a major operation carried out in the forest of Gyarapati under Kurkheda Police division in Gadchiroli District. The details of operation were revealed to media on September 28. While several Maoists are suspected to be injured in the encounter, SFs recovered a couple of Bharmar guns and hoard of Naxal material from the camping site. The Police claimed that it was an intensive training camp involving training in firearms, explosives, use of medicine, political agenda and media approach. "We have recovered inflammatory banners, posters, Naxal literature, ration, detonators, wire bundles, two Bharmar guns along with 10 tents. There were black boards scribbled with mathematics, extensive supply of medicines, radio kits etc, giving a sense intensive Naxal training in the dense jungle," an unnamed Police officer said. The gun battle began around 9am, when over 50 Maoists belonging to Khobramenda and Tippagarh dalam fired at approaching SFs. However, they could not face the assault of SFs for long and retreated into the forest.

October 2: Four CRPF troopers were injured in an ambush carried out by the cadres of the CPI-Maoist near Bhiwankojhi village in Kurkheda tehsil in Gadchiroli District. According to sources, a convoy of seven vehicles belonging to CRPF battalion was returning from Gyarapati Police assistance centre to Kotgal, when it was attacked by the Maoists near Bhiwankojhi village in the wee hours. Maoists reportedly carried out the blast to stall the movement of the CRPF convoy and fired indiscriminately on the forces. A clamour mine and a hand grenade left by Maoists were also recovered from the incident site.

October 3: CPI-Maoist cadres killed Mahendra Bawankar (35), in Kothi village of Gadchiroli District suspecting him to be a Police informer. Nearly 10-15 Maoist cadres entered Kothi village under Bhamragarh tehsil in the night of October 2 and took away Mahendra.

Six persons were detained up by the Pune ATS of the Crime Branch from Kondhwa for alleged CPI-Maoist links in Pune District. Officers attached to the Crime Branch said the interrogation of some people from Kondhwa was on in connection with their suspected Naxal links, but refused to divulge any more information. The Police were yet to come to a conclusion on the matter of Naxal links.

October 14: CPI-Maoist cadres killed an abducted farmer of Tadgaon in Bhamragad of Gadchiroli District, suspecting him to be a Police informer. "Pandu Bodka Kowase, 38, was abducted on October 12," SP Viresh Prabhu said. Around 10-12 Maoists barged into his house and took him away and later killed him. The dead body was recovered from the Tadgaon-Dudepalli road, the Police said.

A gun battle broke out between the CPI-Maoist cadres and SFs near Bandugaon forest under Salekasa tehsil in Gondia District. The encounter occurred around 8.00 am when troopers of the C-60, who were patrolling in Bandugaon forest, were suddenly attacked by the hiding Maoists. It is said that armed Maoist cadres, numbering around 50-60 of three dalams of the region, including Salekasa dalam were involved in the encounter. "No one on the Police side was injured in the encounter," informed SP Chandrashekhar Meena. The SP claimed that at least half a dozen Naxalites were injured in the encounter. "Maoists might have carried away their bodies," said Meena, adding that huge arms, ammunition, and few sets of walkie-talkies were seized from the site.

The State Government has asked DGP K Subramaniam whether the Andhra Pradesh model of tackling Naxal menace could be adopted in the State. A presentation on the Naxal problem was made by the State Home Department before Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan in which the Andhra model of identifying targets, while tackling the menace was discussed, sources in the Home Department said. At present, four CRPF, one CoBRA and one C-60 commando battalion, have been posted along with 3,000 District Police Force in the Naxal infested areas of the State.

Maharashtra Government is planning to acquire an additional helicopter for air-lifting operations in the Naxal-dominated areas of the State. State Home Minister RR Patil said that currently the State had only one, hired helicopter for this purpose. "We plan to get one more, to be used for shifting those who sustain injuries (in anti-Naxal operations) for medical treatment," he said. However, he added, he was not sure if the Centre would provide additional funds to procure a chopper. Patil claimed that Naxalism had been curbed in Nanded, Chandrapur and Yavatmal Districts. "It is (alive) only in Gadchiroli and Gondia (Districts)," he said.

October 18: The fight against the CPI-Maoist is likely to get a significant boost when the Jungle Warfare Training Institute of the Maharashtra Police becomes operational towards the end of the year. The institute is expected to raise a special force, on lines of the elite Andhra Force Greyhound.

October 22: The CPI-Maoist cadres killed Ramdas Gawde, a Police patil from Yeragadda village in Aheri tehsil of Gadchiroli District. After killing Gawde, the Maoists threw his body on the Allapalli-Sironcha highway.

November 6: Police in Chandrapur District arrested five Maoists involved in planting explosives on Ghot-Chamorshi road that was recovered on October 31.

A pro-Telangana message on a board with red ink found near Kasansoor Police Station, indicating the fact that the Maoists in Gadchiroli supported the separatist movement. They have already shown their keen interest in Vidarbha statehood and actively supported the movement.

A local contractor named Madvi was killed by suspected Maoists in Perivalli in Gadchiroli District. After the killing, Police launched an operation in the area during the operation Police exchanged fire with Maoists near the Damrancha Police post and which lasted about half an hour.

November 15: The Police arrested two CPI-Maoist cadres, identified as Mangesh Borule (24) and Santosh Kotrange (24), from different places in Rajura tehsil of Chandrapur District. Acting on a tip-off, a joint team of C-60 commandos and Rajura Police raided the hideout of suspected Maoist Mangesh from Aheri village in Rajura tehsil. During interrogation, Borule revealed the name of his accomplice Santosh from Temburwahi village. Apart from publicity of Maoist writings, they played the role of couriers and promoters of Maoist ideology and worked mainly among students. Borule was on the watch list of the Police since 2008, when an urban Naxal module was busted in Chandrapur. Both Borule and Kotrange were produced before Rajura court on November 16 and the magistrate sent them in Police remand till November 21.

In a move to beef up Security arrangements in the Naxal-infested areas in Vidarbha, the Centre has agreed to bear the expenses of a helicopter to be deployed for surveillance and rescue operation. A decision to this effect was taken a high level meeting in Mumbai. The meeting was chaired by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram. The State Government already has hired one helicopter for rescue operations in Naxal areas. "The Union Government will bear the cost incurred for the second helicopter," the official added.

P Chidambaram asked the Gadchiroli Police to step up area domination to curb Naxal violence against civilians. Sources said that at a review meeting with officials from Naxal-affected Gadchiroli and Gondia in Mumbai, Chidambaram expressed concern about the increasing number of civilian casualties of Naxal violence in Gadchiroli and observed that it showed who is dominating the area. He exhorted the Police officials to increase vigilance and area domination to prevent Naxals from targeting civilians. Over 35 people, suspected to be Police informers, have been killed by Naxals in Gadchiroli so far this year.

Chidambaram also expressed unhappiness over slow progress of construction of infrastructure facilities for CPMF. He also announced at the meeting that funds allocation for the IAP for Naxal-affected Districts from next financial year would be done for blocks as units, not Districts.

November 26 - 27: The Maoists observed a two-day bandh in Gadchiroli, Gondia and Chandrapur in Vidarbha region on. The bandh, however, remained a low-key affair. Several handwritten pamphlets hailing 'martyrdom' of Kishanji and Naxals' vow to avenge his killing were found.

November 27: Around 80 cadres of the CPI-Maoist broke into the gram panchayat building in Malewada village under Purada Police Station in Gadchiroli District and set ablaze documents. They also decamped with three computers from the building. Documents of Khobramenda panchayat in north Gadchiroli were also set ablaze. One of the computers stolen belonged to the Khobramenda panchayat.

November 29: A band of around 150 CPI-Maoist cadres barged into the Vairagadh gram panchayat and set ablaze the gram panchayat building in Armori taluka, around 55 kilometres away from Gadchiroli District, leading to a loss of around INR 10 million. The Maoists set ablaze the furniture and documents in four rooms, including those of the secretary, sarpanch and a meeting hall. The Maoists decamped with two computers while one was damaged in the fire at the panchayat office.

The Maoists took control of the stage at the local drama festival, the famous Jharipatti theatre. Two armed women Maoists and a couple of their male counterparts reached the stage and took charge of the public address system. They raised slogans hailing their martyred comrade Kishanji and appealed to the masses to observe 'Bharat Bandh' on December 4 and 5 for over half an hour.

The Maoists are going to observe the PLGA week between December 2 and 9.

December 1: Police constable, Manoj Atmaram Binzade (28), was killed while another trooper was injured in the exchange of fire with the CPI-Maoist cadres near Dhamditola forests under Chichgad Police Station in Gondia District.

December 2: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist triggered a blast and partly destroyed the gram panchayat at Mispri in Gondia District. This was the first Maoist incident at Mispri, located at tri-junction of Gadchiroli-Gondia and Rajnandgaon in Chhattisgarh.

December 3: The Maoists set ablaze another gram panchayat at Piparkhari in Deori tehsil in the District. Gondia SP, Chandrakishor Mina said, Maoists are trying to foment trouble but are not getting mass support. "We are collecting posters left behind by Naxals' North Gadchiroli-Gondia Division Committee from two villages. As of now, this group is to be blamed for arson," the SP said.

The Maoists set ablaze an under-construction office of the revenue department at Sironcha and another gram panchayat at Kasansur in Gadchiroli District. The crucial Dhanora-Rajnandgaon road, connecting Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh, has been blocked by the Maoists. There are also unconfirmed reports of vehicles being set ablaze near Armori block in the District.

December 24: The CPI-Maoist cadres opened fire on the Phulbodi Gatta Police Station in Dhanora tehsil in Gadchiroli District. The Maoists also raised slogans against the Police and hailed their martyred leader Mallojula Koteswara Rao alias Kishanji. SP, Gadchiroli, S Veeresh Prabhu said that the SFs could not spot any one who could be firing upon the post. "We had fired ammunitions which had the capacity to light up a vast area and also there were illuminations from the post but there was no one in the sight. The firing also did not continue for long. It could be one of those occasions when they were merely making their presence felt," said Prabhu.


Odisha

January 1: At least five CPI-Maoist cadres, including three women, were killed in an encounter with the Police in Jajpur District. Police personal and two teams of the anti-Maoist Special Operations Group raided a CPI-Maoist camp in the forested area of Jajpur. "Huge catch of arms and weapons have been recovered, including two country made guns and eight rifles," IGP Sanjeev Marik said. Police identifies the female Maoists killed in the encounter are Sabitri, Baby, Sujata and Janga (12). Janga was a resident of Baligotha area of Kalinganagar. Other three are resident of Keonjhar District.

January 4: Cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed a trader, identified as Udaynath Sahu in Bhramarbari village under Daringbadi block in Kandhamal District. Udaynath, a trader of forest produce who also owned a grocery shop at the village. According to sources around six armed Maoists reached his house at around 10 a.m., dragged him out and shot him from a close range. He died at the spot. Maoists killed the trader alleging him to be a Police informer. The Maoists had warned him twice of dire consequences and Udaynath had also drawn the matter to the notice of Police.

A land mine, packed with 100 kilograms of explosives, planted by the Maoists under a small bridge was detected by the Police in Jajpur District. 'The land mine was planted beneath a culvert,' Superintendent of Police (SP) D S Kuttey said.

Police identifies the Maoists killed in the encounter with the Police in Jajpur District on January 1. The women Maoists are Sabitri, Baby, Sujata and Janga (12). Janga was a resident of Baligotha area of Kalinganagar. Other three are resident of Keonjhar District.

January 5: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik reported that several railway projects announced for Odisha in the budget were not carried out and sought Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s intervention in their execution, saying it can check CPI-Maoist menace in the region.

January 6: Five female cadres of the CPI-Maoist surrendered before the DIG, Western Range in Keonjhar District. The surrenderees were identified as Santi, Suchitra, Basanti, Raema and Sudra. All of them are below 17 years of age. They were active cadres of the Kalinganagar division committee of the Maoists and were involved in several crimes, including two murders, attack on a Police Station and attack on two liquor shops in the District and Jajpur areas. They also deposited several weapons, including two pistols, one country made gun, and few rounds of bullets.

January 9: Cadres belonging to the CPI-Maoist including female cadres blew up a cabin signal point of Bandamunda railway station of Sundergarh District. The railway service on Howrah-Mumbai and Rourkela-Hatia railway lines has been disrupted following the incident. According to Railway sources 50 to 60 armed Maoists blasted the signal point around 2AM. The Maoists left a number of posters opposing anti-Maoist ‘Operation Green Hunt’ taken up by Centre, harassment to the innocent tribals and demanded the release of Binayak Sen.

Nine cadres of the CPI-Maoist, including four women, were killed in an encounter with the District Voluntary Force and D-CAT, a special team of Rayagada Police in Rayagada District. The gun-battle took place in Dabramali village in the remote hilly region of Bhamramali under the Kashipur Police Station limits of the District. "The firing lasted for a little more than an hour. When dawn broke, we found nine bodies scattered around the camp of which one was identified as that of Ravi, the leader of Kashipur dalam of Bansadhara division. There were four women Maoists among the dead," said Deputy IG, South-West Range Soumendra Priyadarshi. All the deceased Maoists are in the age group of 20-25. The Police said about 15 Maoists were in the camp when the encounter happened. "We expect two more casualties, as there were signs of bodies being dragged away," a senior Police Official said. Police recovered nine bodies from the encounter spot. Weapons and explosives, including three .303 rifles, two pistols and one INSAS rifle were seized.

An exchange of fire also took place between a group of Maoists, led by Azad of Bansadhara divisional committee and SFs near Maliguda village under Kotgarh Police Station limits in Kandhamal District, Police said. There were no reports of casualty from either side. One self-loading rifle, a Maoists kitbag and explosive material were seized from the spot, though the Maoists managed to escape.

The Maoists called a bandh in Kandhamal, Gajapati and Rayagada District on January 10, protesting ‘Operation Green Hunt’.

January 9: Six suspected Maoists, including a woman, were arrested from Bisra area while the woman was arrested from Bandamunda in connection with the Maoist attack at Bandamunda railway station of Sundergarh District. Preliminary investigation suggested that all the six were involved in blasting of signal cabin at the Bandamunda railway station and planting of landmine in Jareikela Police outpost and Bisra panchayat office, Police claimed.

On the second day of the Maoist bandh call vehicles in remote pockets of the District remained off the road. The bandh call disrupted passenger transportation in Daringbadi, Kotgarh and Tumudibandh blocks in Kandhamal District. In these blocks shops and business establishments also remained closed at several places. Passenger buses did not ply between Phulbani and Berhampur and Bhubaneswar. However in Rayagada District impact of the bandh call was too low. The OSRTC did not to ply its buses through these three Districts during the bandh.

The Maoists had damaged two mobile communication towers at Aligonda in the District.

January 10: A CPI-Maoist linkman and two suspected cadres from West Midnapore District [West Bengal] were arrested by the Odisha and West Bengal Police in Cuttack District, Police said in Jhargram. One of the arrestee, identified as Karmu Mahato (55), a Maoist linkman, resident of Kalian village in Jhargram, had gone to SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack to treat Deben Marandi and Manick Soren after the duo got injured in a landmine blast. Mahato is also said to be a TMC Party leader. One of the two patients, Deben Marandi, has been identified as a top Maoist, an expert bomb-maker and a close aide of Maoist squad leader Jayanta. A senior Odisha Police officer said, "Mahato has been charged for the blasts in Didiha on December 5, 2010 and for harbouring Maoists by secretly admitting two of them in hospital." However, Jhargram ASP Mukesh Kumar said he knew nothing about Mahato’s his political identity.

Odisha Home Secretary UN Behera aid the State now could successfully prevent CPI-Maoist attacks as it had "adequate force comprising five battalions of BSF and seven battalions of CRPF besides its elite anti-Maoist SOG". About 50 units of SOG were engaged in anti-Maoist operation in the State, Officials said. [One unit of SOG has 30 members.]

The Home Secretary described the encounter in Badangmali area of Rayagada District on January 9 as an ‘intelligence based operation’, and said the State has developed intelligence network to track Maoists movements. Odisha Government feels implementation of IAP in 15 Maoist-hit and backward areas have started paying dividend. About INR 8.5 billion would be spent on these developmental works in next two years, the Home Secretary added.

The Police identified all the nine Maoists killed in the encounter of January 9 in Rayagada District and confirmed that one of those killed was D Srinivas Rao alias Rabi alias Devvuri alias Srinu alias Ramesh, a top Maoist, heading a unit of the Bansadhara division of the outfit and considered as 'guru' of Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda, Times of India reported on January 10. Rabi hailed from East Godavari District in neighbouring State of Andhra Pradesh. "Andhra Police had earlier announced a cash award of INR 300, 000 on Rabi. He was into Maoists activities at least for the last eight-nine years. He was ‘commander’ of the Kashipur dalam (squad) of the Bansadhara division and was actively involved in inducting, organizing and training recruits," DIG (South-western range) Soumendra Priyadarshi said. The other Maoists including five women, were natives of Odisha, Police said. They are identified as Rajendra, Lengu, Ramesh Kulsika, Rinky, Nirmala, Mamata Sipka, Karuna and Kamala. Lengu hailed from Dharmagarh in Kalahandi District and Mamata from Gajapati District, while the others were from Rayagada, Police added. Reports indicate that at least 14 Maoists have been killed in a span of 10 days.

The Maoists also burnt down a truck near Adaba in Gajapati District.

January 11: Three civilians, including two officials of the State Agricultural Department were injured when cadres of the CPI-Maoist triggered a landmine blast targeting the vehicle they were travelling near Odiapentha village in Narayanpatna block of Koraput District. The victims were Basant Kumar Patnaik and Sashi Bhusan Senapati of the State Agricultural Department and Raj Kumar Dipak, the driver of the vehicle. The incident coincided with the two-day bandh call of the Maoists in Rayagada, Gajapati and Kandhamal Districts, which began on January 10, to protest against the encounter in Rayagada District on January 9, in which nine Maoists had been killed by Security Forces.

Further, Police has claimed that the Maoist fatality in the encounter on January 9, in Rayagada District has gone up to 13. But the Police are yet to come up with the identity of the rest four which it is claming.

January 12: Two cadres of the CPI-Maoist were killed in an encounter with the Police, SOG and CRPF in Pancham hills in Rebana- Bansapal forest in Daitari area under Harichandanpur Police station in Keonjhar District. After the encounter the Police seized the dead bodies and two guns from the spot. The Police are yet to identify the killed Maoists.

The Maoists have threatened to blow up Police out Post of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack District. The Commissionerate Police has increased the security of SCB Medical College and Hospital campus.

January 13: The Planning Commission denouncing bureaucratization of the recently launched IAP to contain Maoists terror, the Odisha Government, said that it was ready to take panchayat functionaries in the plan. District collectors are free to take any member from panchayat bodies or civil societies in the implementation of IAP, Special Secretary, Planning and Coordination RV Singh told reporters in Bhubaneswar. Of the 60 Districts chosen in the country, 15 Maoist-hit Districts of the State are covered under the IAP. The Districts are, Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Gajapati, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Bolangir, Sonepur, Kandhamal, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Deogarh and Sambalpur.

January 14: Three top cadres of the CPI-Maoist were arrested from Batiguda forests in Kalimela Police Station area in Malkangiri District during a combing operation by the SOG and DVF. They are identified as Bhima Padiami, Deba Madhi and Ganga Sodi of Rajolkanda gram panchayat area. However, two senior Maoist leaders, Damodar and Akash of Kalimela Dalam, could manage to escape from the site, SP Anirudha Singh said, adding that two fire arms, some posters and dress used by Maoist cultural wing, were seized by the SOG and DVF.

January 15: Five cadres of Kalinga Nagar division committee of the CPI-Maoist including a minor boy and a woman surrendered before SP in Jajpur District. They are identified as Tima Mahakud, Dobra Tudu, Junguri Tiria, Lutu Hembram (23) and Saley Palea (13). The surrendered Maoists had committed several crimes, which included attacks on Police Stations, arson, setting ablaze of vehicles, etc., DSP DS Kuttey said. Lutu Hembram, worked as the ‘area committee’ member of the outfit while the minor boy, Saley Palea admitted that he was involved in the attack on a Police Station at mineral town of Daitari in July last year, 2010, Kuttey said. Maoist leader Sushil used to threaten them and train them by force. Sushil provided them with SLR, INSAS, 8mm and 303 rifles. The Maoists surrendered as they wanted to return to the mainstream of life and society.

Odisha Government has decided to strengthen its anti-Naxalite (LWE) Force, Official sources said. "A proposal to increase strength of SOG and DVF has been accepted by the State Government," DGP Manmohan Praharaj said. Out of vacant 2000 SOG only 1500 has been appointed. Stating that at least 50 SOG units (one unit comprises 30 personnel) were now engaged in anti-Maoist operations, the DGP said it was likely to be doubled. The IG (operation) would soon prepare a blue print on strengthening for augmentation of the anti-Maoist force including the DVF, he said. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. With about 18 of the State's 30 Districts affected by Maoists, there were 12 battalions of central para-military force to assist the State Police to fight the Maoists. While Border Security Force has five battalions, Central Reserve Police Force has seven. The decision to further strengthen SOG and DVF came in the wake of the Centre's suggestion to create own striking force against the Maoists, Praharaj said.

January 17: Three cadres of the CPI-Maoist, including two women, were arrested from Jujumura forest in Sambalpur District. The three Maoists were identified as Sulochana Garnaik, first lady cadre of Sambalpur-Deogarh-Sundargarh zone, Sarita Singh, a top Maoist of Jharkhand, who is wanted in many cases, and Satyaban Mirdha. Acting on a tip-off, troopers of the DVF and IRB conducted a search operation in Gariakhaman forest and arrested the trio, SP Asit Panigrahi said. A huge quantity of arms, ammunition and explosives including electronic detonator, codex wire bundles, eight gelatine sticks and a country-made pistol were recovered from the Maoists, the SP said, adding, some Maoist literature and uniform were also seized.

While Sulochana is wanted in about 20 cases in Deogarh, Sambalpur, Rourkela, Sundargarh and Nayagarh, Sarita was involved in almost all the Maoist violence in Rourkela and Jharkhand area, he said. Satyaban is the younger brother of top Maoist Ganesh alias Rahul Mirdha and instrumental in providing logistics and actively participating in recent reorganisation of the Maoist activity in Sambalpur area, Police said, adding, the involvement of these Maoists in other parts of Odisha is under investigation.

A group of around 15 cadres of the CPI-Maoist set ablaze five vehicles being used in the laying of a road under the PMGSY at Barada village in the Badagada Police Station limits in Sorada block of Ganjam District. The Maoists pasted some posters at Barada and Merikote villages before escaping. Through these posters they threatened the contractor to stop using machines in the construction work. They also asked the contractor to pay INR 200 per day as wages to both male and female workers. It is suspected that it is an effort by Maoists to garner support of menial labourers of the area and to disrupt work on improvement of road communication in remote areas. The Maoists also cut down trees near Gajalbadi village to block the road communication between Sorada in the District and Daringbadi in Kandhamal District.

The incident occurred a few hours before a bandh call given by Maoists in adjoining Kandhamal District. According to sources, the Maoists gave the bandh call to protest against the killing of nine of their cadre in an encounter with Security Forces at Basangmali forest in the Kashipur Police Station limits in Rayagada District on January 9.

January 19: A top ranking CPI-Maoist Narasingha Gangi surrendered before Chitrakonda Police in Malkangiri District. Gangi is a resident of Baderu village of Didamula Division of Visakhapatnam District of Andhra Pradesh, the Police said.

The Maoists triggered two Bomb blasts in the Tangi Block Office in Khurdha District. Earlier, the BDO had received death threat from the Maoists. Police recovered two Maoist posters from the wall of Block Office. In the poster they mentioned that the corruption of the Block is increasing and the BDO is involved in the corruption.

January 20 - 21: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist attacked a camp of a construction firm involved in construction of remote rural road under PMGSY and set ablaze a poclain machine in Ganjam District. At around midnight a group of around 40 Maoists reportedly reached the spot searched for the driver of the poclain machine parked there and forced him to drive away the poclain away from the camp and set it ablaze. Later, the Maoists terrorised the workers of the construction firm camping at the site. They also left some posters at the spot. Through these posters they threatened construction contractors not to take up any construction work in remote areas without their permission. They also threatened the construction firms not to use machines during the PMGSY road construction.

January 23: A leader of the CPI-Maoist-backed CMAS, identified as Rama Padhi Puhala (35) was arrested from Bandhugaon in Narayanpatna area of Koraput District. "He was wanted by both Odisha and Andhra Pradesh Police for his involvement in more than 12 criminal cases including murder, arson and rioting," SP A.K. Sahu said.

The DG of BSF Raman Srivastava reviewed the ongoing anti-Maoist operations in the worst-affected Malkangiri District. During his trip to Malkangiri, bordering Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, Srivastava discussed with Senior Officers of the State Police and BSF personnel about different operational matters especially in Malkangiri and Koraput Districts. Three battalions of BSF are deployed in Malkangiri to fight LWE. Two more are in Koraput. Seven battalions of CRPF and one of CoBRA are also pressed into service in Odisha to deal with the Maoists, who have spread their base to at least 15 of the 30 Districts in the State, unnamed Official Sources said. The DG will discuss with the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Senior Officials regarding the Maoist operation and coordination among the BSF and the State Police on January 24.

January 24: During a combing operation, a bomb disposal squad defused the explosives weighing around 50 kilograms planted by the cadres of the CPI-Maoist near Barada village, 15 kilometres from Baragada in Ganjam District. The Police also recovered three landmines and 25 detonators from the reported site, SP (Ganjam) Nitinjit Singh said.

January 25: A retired school teacher, identified as Nargo Subhasundar (65), of Minjapanka village under Brahmanigaon Police Station limits was reportedly abducted and subsequently killed by the cadres of the CPI-Maoist in Kandhamal District. DIG R. K. Sharma said the dead body was recovered by the personnel of SOG.

Two persons, suspected to be Maoist sympathisers, were arrested from Jareikela under Bisra Police Station in Sundargarh District, the Police said. Hemanta Gope and Manoj Lakra were travelling in a bus from Rourkela to Jareikela when the Police stopped the bus, checked the passengers and their luggage and arrested them, sources said.

A black flag and some Maoist posters were found at the Loharkhandi Bridge near Bhanjanagar areas of Ganjam District. The Maoist posters were against the observation of Republic Day. The miscreants had urged the public to observe Republic Day (January 26) as black day.

January 26: On the Republic day celebration, the District Collector Rajesh Pravakar Patil handed over the cheque of INR 300, 000 each to the family members of Lokanath Mandia Sahoo of Gadaba village, Hari Sahukar of Katulpeta village under Bandhugan Block, B. Biswanath of Balipeta village, and Kumudini Sunabudi of Manpadi village under Narayanpatna Block in Koraput District. The Central Government had sanctioned INR 300, 000 each to the family of five persons killed by the Maoists.

January 27: A village sarpanch, identified as Srikant Samant, of Chandiposh in Sundergarh District was arrested for supplying explosives to CPI-Maoist. Samant was arrested after Police recovered a huge catch of explosives including gelatine sticks, detonators and fuse wires from Chandiposh panchayat building, SP Diptesh Patnaik said.

January 28: The Police in Sundargarh District arrested a CRPF trooper, identified as Satyaban Bhoi (38), and a motor mechanic, identified as Tarun Das, for their reported links with the CPI-Maoist. Bhoi was arrested from the CRPF camp at Bisra near Rourkela, after Police found evidence against him, SP Diptesh Patnaik said. Bhoi, hailed from Kesinga area in Kalahandi District was working in CRPF's intelligence wing and was posted in the 19th Battalion of CRPF in Bisra. Bhoi was passing on security related information to the Maoists operating in the State and Jharkhand through Das, the Police sources said. On a tip off, Police first arrested Das and recovered some gelatine sticks, detonators and Maoist posters from his garage, the sources added. Bhoi was arrested on the basis of information obtained from Das during interrogation. Das was allegedly supplying explosives and other materials to the Maoists and also repairing the vehicles used by them, the sources said.

January 29: The Policemen and CRPF personnel came across a camp of the CPI-Maoist during a combing operation in Krupani reserve forest under Bandugaon Police Station area in Sundargarh District. The Maoists opened fire at the Security men on seeing them and engaged in a gun battle. One CRPF trooper sustained minor injuries during the encounter. One Maoist, identified as Arjun Sahoo of Gumla District in Jharkhand was arrested while the others managed to flee. Sahoo was involved in Maoist activities since the last five years. Later, the Police neutralised the Maoist camp located on Odisha-Jharkhand border and recovered one carbine, one 303 rifle, two 315 rifles, two double barrel guns, one 9mm pistol, two country-made pistols, 160 rounds of ammunition, five mobile phones, five kit bags, INR 5, 000 in cash, Maoist literature and one diary containing information about the Maoist movement from the encounter site. This is for the first time that Maoist presence has been found in Bandugaon Police limits. "We will interrogate the arrested cadre and cross check many things, particularly names figuring in the diary," Sundargarh SP Deepak Kumar said.

January 30: Two top cadres of the CPI-Maoist were arrested by the SOG and the DVF personnel during a combing operation at Techguda forest under Kalimela Police Station limits in Malkangiri District. SP Anirudha Singh said the duo, identified as Linga Madkami (35) of Techguda colony and Dula Madhi (25) of Kanaguda village under Kalimela Police Station area, belonged to Kalimela Dalam unit of the outfit and were allegedly involved in several acts of violence and blasts in the District. "The Police also recovered a gun and a directional mine from their possession," the SP said.

The Maoists gave a three-day bandh call in Raighar block of Nabarangpur District from January 30. They cut down trees to block the Raighar-Kundei road.

February 1: A top CPI-Maoist, identified as Kushal Kerketa (24), was arrested by a joint team of Police and CRPF during a combing operation from Nuagaon-Raidihi village under Bonai sub-division in Sundargarh District along Jharkhand border. Kushal was said to be a right hand man of Sameer, a Nuagaon Maoist 'area commander' of the District. He was reportedly involved in several Maoist incidents in the District, including blasting of Bandamunda railway cabin in January.

February 3: The CPI-Maoist in Odisha have given a call for Bharat bandh on February 7 and asked people to protest against price rise and large-scale corruption in the State for three days from February 4. The Maoists have also protested against Operation Green Hunt. Posters appeared at Brahmanigaon in Kandhamal District, remote villages on Kandhamal-Gajapati border like Mundamaha, Gumandi chhaka, Gadapur, Saramula, Hatimunda and Katingia.

February 6: Two cadres of the CPI-Maoist were arrested from a forest located in Muniguda Police Station area in Rayagada District and a huge quantity of posters and other publicity materials seized from them, Police said. The Maoists, aged around 30 years, were arrested during a combing operation by Security personnel.

Meanwhile, around 5,000 members of the Maoist-backed CMAS and BAMS organised a rally at Narayanpatna in Koraput District demanding removal of BSF camp from their area. Leader of CMAS Nachika Linga, who is claimed to be a fugitive by the Police, monitored the activities from a distance although he did not come over to Narayanpatna. Speaking from his secret hideout Linga said he did not consider himself to be a fugitive as he was openly living with the common people.

During the Bharat Bandh called by the Maoists, a strong group of armed Maoists opened fire at a passenger train at Pattasahi near Chandiposh. No casualty was reported in the incident.

February 7: CPI-Maoist 'commander' Samir Thalko was shot dead in an encounter with Security Forces inside Chandiposh forest area in Sundergarh District. Thalko was involved in the killing of Ajit Bardhan, Sub-inspector of Koida Police Station, in 2009. A 9-mm pistol and 30 rounds of live cartridges were found from his possession, the Police said.

February 9: Cadres of the CPI-Maoist damaged the Police outpost at remote Subarnagiri in the limits of Kotagarh Police Station in Kandhamal District. According to the Police, no one was injured at the Police outpost during the attack as no armed Policemen were deployed at the remote outpost during night. As per eyewitnesses, a group of around 40 Maoists reached the Police outpost building at around midnight. They broke into it and ransacked it. They also set ablaze the documents and furniture of the outpost. They pasted some posters at the spot. Through them the Maoists opposed construction of a building near the outpost which could be used as a barrack for security personnel in future. They threatened to kill anyone who would get involved in the construction work. They also opposed the measures of the Police to build up relations with people living in remote areas through Jan Sampark Sivir (Public Relation Camps).

February 10: Four Maoists, involved in several cases of crime, were arrested and a huge cache of arms and explosives seized in Keonjhar District, according to the Police. Three Maoists were arrested during combing by CRPF personnel and State Policemen from Chutung forest near Rebana-Palaspal area, while another was arrested from a jungle in Telkoi area. Six detonators, two gelatine sticks, batteries and wires, a locally-made rifle, some ammunition and volumes of Maoist literature like leaflets, books and posters were seized from the them.

February 11: At least three cadres of the CPI-Maoist, including an 'area commander', were killed in an encounter with the Security Forces in Sundargarh District. The exchange of fire took place during a joint combing operation by the CRPF troopers and DVF, a specialised force of Armed Police Reserve trained in anti-Maoist warfare, in the Saranda forest under Bisra Police Station limit, bordering Jharkhand, CRPF sources said. Bodies of three Maoists were recovered after the gun battle, they said, adding one of the deceased was identified as Mohammad Musleem, 'area commander' of Maoists in Digha and Jareikela areas in Jharkhand. Musleem has at least 40 cases lodged against him for murder and attack on Government establishments in the District and East Singhbhum District of Jharkhand. One of the other two killed Maoists was a Nepali while the identity of the third could not be established. An American rifle, a 9-mm pistol, large quantity of cartridges and volumes of Maoist literature, including leaflets and posters, were recovered from the encounter site.

A SPO, identified as Narenga Mallick of Dunguda village, working with the Kotagada Police was killed by Maoists in Kandhamal District. The Maoists left a poster on the spot and mentioned that they have killed him as he has not resigned from the job. The posters also threatened the localities not to help the Police during combing operation. Maoists also threatened to kill the youths who would prefer to become home guards or SPOs. Earlier the Maoists have threatened Mallick to leave the job.

February 12: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed Kandri Lohar (23), a home guard, and her son Kanha (4), in Sundargarh District. Kandri, a resident of Sagjodi village of West Singhbhum District in Jharkhand, had joined the Maoists when she was 20. She left the Maoist outfit in 2005 and later joined Odisha Police as a home guard.

February 14: Four home guards resigned from their job fearing the CPI-Maoist in Kotagada Police Station in Kandhamal District. They have expressed in their resignation letter that they have risk to life, so they no more like to work as home guard. Besides, more 16 home guards will resign within a week. Home guards, Ajaya Naik of Kesaraguda village, Akshay Behera of Kotagarh and Joseph Mallick of Denguda village submitted their resignation to the Home guard Commandant through the OIC of Kotagada Police Station, while another Sitaram Baliarsingh of Jabaguda also submitted his resignation. Around 20 home guards came to the Police Station to submit their resignation, out of which four submitted their resignation and others to submit their resignation in a week. All of them had earlier been threatened by Maoists, they said.

February 16: CPI-Maoist cadres abducted R. Veenil Krishna, District Collector of Malkangiri District while he was returning after an interaction programme in K Gumma block of the District. The incident happened, just two days before Union Home Minister P Chidambaram's scheduled video-conference with the Collectors of 60 Maoist-hit Districts.

A team of CRPF troopers and Odisha SOG personnel, during their joint patrolling recovered and defused three landmines from two places along the Odisha-Jharkhand border, about 25 kilometers from Rourkela in Sundargarh District. Two landmines weighing about 10 kilograms each were recovered at a place between Raidihi and Nuagaon, while another landmine of about 25 kilograms was recovered between Mahuapada and Nuagaon road.

Four more home guards of Kotagarh Police Station, Trinath Paltasingh, Susant Baliarsingh, Kabi Chandra Nayak and Nilanchala Dandasena, have tendered their resignations to the Superintendent of Police citing the reason that they are being threatened by Maoists in Kandhamal District. Four of their colleagues resigned from the job citing the same reason on February 14.

The CPI-Maoist cadres killed a tribal, identified as Wadeka Nasanna, of Dandabadi village under Narayanpatna Block in Koraput District. According to Koraput SP Anup Sahu, a group around 20 Maoists dragged Nasanna out of his house and slit his throat open. The Maoists left a handwritten letter at the spot claiming the victim was killed as he was opposed to the activities of the Maoists and the CMAS in the area. Sahu said Wadeka might have been killed only to create terror in the area. The tribal had no links either with the Police or with the Maoist supporters. "We suspect he refused to oblige the directives of Maoists for which he was killed so that the incident may create panic in the minds of others living in remote areas," the SP said.

February 17: Government sources told that they had been able to make contact with Akkaraju Haragopal alias Ramakrishna alias RK, a top Maoist leader who is on the Maoist central committee, to negotiate the safe release of the abducted District Collector and the junior engineer. The Maoists have demanded the release of three or four of their comrades, including Ramakrishna’s wife Padma, who was arrested in November 2010 in Koraput while she was on her way to Narayanpatna to meet Ramakrishna and their son Prithvi.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik urged the Maoists to release the "young Collector who is known for his hard work for the poor and tribals". Residents of Malkangiri town observed a shutdown and held a massive rally demanding his safe release. In Kandhamal, Ganjam, Rayagada and Mayurbhanj, where Krishna had worked in various capacities, people organised rallies and enforced bandhs.

State Home Secretary U. N. Behera told that commando action was not being considered to free Krishna and Majhi. "Any commando action would endanger their lives. We have halted all combing operations, and are open to all channels of discussion... We are ready for a dialogue with the Maoists at the district and state levels". Behera said he had asked social activist Swami Agnivesh, who recently helped in the release of five security men abducted by Maoists in Chhattisgarh, to open talks with the Maoists. Agnivesh had told The Indian Express that he had appealed to the Maoists to treat Krishna and Majhi with respect and cause them no bodily harm. "I would also appeal to the Maoists not to be rigid with the 48-hour deadline," he had said.

February 18: Hours after a 48-hour ultimatum ran out the CPI-Maoist extended the deadline for the conditional release of Malkangiri collector R. Vineel Krishna and junior engineer Pabitra Majhi. With back-channel talks on, Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik appealed to the Maoists for the safety of the captives. It is not clear by how long Maoists were prolonging the talks window.

Late in the night of February 17, the Maoists sent a release written in Telugu to some reporters, saying Someswara Rao, former professor of Economics at Sambalpur University, Haragopal, retired professor of Political Science, Central University, Hyderabad; and Ganjam (Odisha)-based convener of Political Prisoners Release Committee Dandapani Mohanty be made mediators. "I spoke to Rao and Haragopal. Both agreed to be interlocutors," said State Home Secretary U. N. Behera. The Government is yet to decide on Mohanty.

The Maoists released a note signed by Bhaskar, a top Maoist, demanding release of Prasadam, Sudhakar, and Padma alias Sirisha, wife Andhra-Orissa Maoist chief Ramakrishna. Further, the Maoists demanded dropping of "false" cases against a number of their senior members and also sought land rights for tribals in Narayanpatra, scrapping of Polavaram irrigation project, stopping of bauxite mining at Mali and Deomali hills. They asked for irrigation in Kalimela block and tribal status for Nauka Dora and Konda Reddy communities as well. Orissa`s top Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda alias Sunil, in an interview to a private news channel, warned of dire consequences if their demands were not met.

Maoists disrupted the road transport network in Malkangiri District by felling trees and triggering a landmine. The Maoists felled trees and dug up the Orissa state highway-25 at several places on the Govindapalli ghat section leading to Malkangiri. Sources said the Maoists also triggered a landmine near a culvert at Govindapalli. Though no casualties were reported, the blast caused a major breach on the road. With this, the road link between Koraput and Malkangiri was snapped. Traffic movement on the Jeypore-Malkangiri road was also paralysed with the rebels digging up the road at some stretches.

February 20: The talks between the Odisha Government and mediators chosen by the CPI-Maoist began in Bhubaneswar for the release of abducted Malkangiri District collector R. V. Krishna and a junior engineer. After the first round of talks, the mediators said that "more time" was needed to secure the release of Krishna and the junior engineer. The interlocutors are believed to have pressed for release of certain key Maoists like Ganti Prasadam on bail, sources said. In a related development, Prasadam, who is jailed in Andhra Pradesh, was handed over to Police for producing him before an Odisha court. Prasadam, also the convener of Martyrs Friends and Relatives Committee, was lodged in the Ongole Prison in Andhra Pradesh's Prakasam District since February 7.

The State Government agreed not to oppose the bail petition of Prasadam when it comes up for hearing before a Koraput court, sources said.

Maoists are believed to have shifted Krishna and the junior engineer to another one of their strongholds after they came to know about a rescue bid by tribal villagers of the area. Thousands of tribals, who gathered at Chitrakonda to protest the Maoist abduction, had chalked out a rescue plan for the collector. The tribal leaders, who are familiar with the Maoist hideouts in their territory, were forced to change their plans after coming to know that the Maoists had shifted Krishna to some other place.

February 21: The Naveen Patnaik Government accepted eight of the 14 demands of the CPI-Maoist made for the release of Malkangiri Collector R. Vineel Krishna and Junior Engineer Pabitra Majhi. ''We've so far agreed on eight issues based on specific Government measures and decisions,'' said Odisha Home Secretary U N Behera. He assured reporters that the captives were safe.

Behera read out a statement on the eight points of agreement. These were: (1) Odisha Government will write to Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh to take action on the extremists demand for release of Maoist central committee (MCC) members Sheela di (jailed in Jharkhand) and Padma (in Chhattisgarh) owing to their ill-health; (2) Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the Konda Reddy and Nukadora communities categorized as Other Backward Castes (OBCs); (3) stopping the multi-purpose Polavaram project of Andhra Pradesh; (4) 'pattas' (record of rights) to tribals dispossessed of their land in the District of Malkangiri and Koraput; (5) irrigation in Maribada and Maniamkonda villages in Malkangiri; (6) compensation based on High Court (HC) order to Tadangi Gangulu and Ratanu Sirika who died of disease allegedly due to torture; (7) relevant laws for mining operations in Mali and Deomali bauxite mines; (8) minimum displacement of tribals and adequate compensation.

Naveen Patnaik expressed in the State Assembly replying to a question of Naba Kishore Das in the legislature that 178 Maoists have surrendered before the Police from the year 2001 to 2010. As per the Surrender and Settlement Policy 2006 of the State Government, action is being taken for their settlement. Replying to a question of Pratap Sarangi, Patnaik expressed that 145 Maoists violence occurred during the year 2010-11 up to the month of January and 260 Maoist related violence occurred in past three years. Maoist activities noticed in 99 Police Station of 19 Districts. The Government has taken different steps to confront the Maoists activities.

CMAS of Narayanpatna in Koraput District sought dialogue with the State Government to resolve their long-standing demands and release of their ‘innocent members', who are in jail on charges of alleged Maoist links. CMAS leader Nachika Linga said he was ready to come out and hold direct talks with the Government to end the land-related exploitation of tribals in Narayanpatna area and release of arrested CMAS activists. He asked why the State Government never showed similar seriousness to resolve issues related to exploitation of tribals in remote areas which it showed for the release of the abducted Collector R. Vineel Krishna. "It again proves even in a democratic system all are not the same in the eyes of the ruling class," he alleged. He also alleged that around 40 cases had been slapped on him intentionally and over 150 of CMAS activists were arrested to suppress their voice against exploitation.

February 22: The abducted Collector R. Vineel Krishna and junior engineer Pabitra Majhi were released as soon as the Odisha Government agreed to the demands of the CPI-Maoist in the Chitrakonda area of Malkangiri District. "We agreed on all 14 issues," State Home Secretary U N Behera said. Among their 14 demands were calling for a halt to anti-Maoist operations by Security Forces, release of all political prisoners, scrapping of accords with MNCs for land transfer and projects, and compensation for the families of Maoist sympathisers killed in Police custody. The Government agreed to withdraw a case against Prasadam and four others- Kandula Sirisa alias Padma (wife of Maoist leader Ramakrishna); Andaluri Iswari; Rosa Mandangi, and driver Gokul Kuldipia. As for the release of Ashutosh Sen, Srinivas Sriramulu, Gananath Patra and Tapan Mishra, it agreed to examine the cases on their merits. On withdrawal of cases against hundreds of tribals who had been jailed as Maoists, the Government agreed to review the cases within three months.

February 23: The CPI-Maoist backtracked and issued a fresh demand that they will hold onto Malkangiri Collector Vineel Krishna till they get custody of five of their leaders who are currently in jail. Conflicting reports emanating from Bhubaneswar and Malkangiri gave the impression that Krishna had already been released. Based on these reports, several newspapers, including The Hindu, reported that Krishna was handed over to the Government by the Maoists. However, the new demands were conveyed in a letter sent through Pavitra Majhi who returned home, after being released by the Maoists on the banks of the Balimela reservoir at Jal Bai village in the District. The three mediators appointed to interface with the Maoists were earlier told that Krishna would also be released along with Majhi. But in the letter, the Maoists said they wanted their leaders to be handed over to them in Malkangiri. 

Sources said that the Maoists have now also demanded the release of top Maoist Sriramalu Srinivasulu, who is currently awaiting trial in Andhra Pradesh, along with Ganti Prasad and Padma, wife of Ramakrishna alias RK. These demands come in addition to the other demands that had earlier been put before the Odisha Government. The Maoists say they need Prasad and four others to be escorted to Malkangiri in exchange for Collector Krishna. 

February 24: The nine-day hostage crisis ended with the State capitulating to the biggest-ever prisoner swap involving hardcore CPI-Maoist cadres to secure the release of Malkangiri District collector R Vineel Krishna. The Maoists released Krishna just 3 kilometres from where they had abducted him. This was when interlocutors were on their way to Chitrakonda for further negotiations after the Maoists raised additional demands calling for a public swap of the collector with nine of their imprisoned comrades. In the event, the Government agreed to release five, refusing to let go two key leaders of their group. Krishna was freed after a four-hour long public meeting called by the Maoists in Tentuliguda village with about 1,500 villagers. The Maoists made speeches and discussed issues like mining and under-development during the meeting. The meeting ended at 4.30pm [IST] after which the collector crossed the Balimela reservoir. The Maoists had called for the release of Srinivasulu, Ashutosh, and Shobha, after Odisha Government had already conceded 14 original demands. The Government agreed to release Ganti Prasad whose bail application was heard in a Koraput court on February 24, apart from Padma, Ishwari, Sarita and Gokul. The key Maoists whose release was sought but rejected by the Government are Srinivasulu and Ashutosh. Shobha, another key Maoist leader, is in a Jharkhand jail and the Odisha Government said it would take up her release with that State.

February 26: The Odisha Government registered a Police case against three top ranking cadres of AOB zonal committee of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Prasad, Bibhuti and Madhav under various sections of IPC and the Arms Act, in connection with the February 16 abduction of Malkangiri District collector R. V. Krishna and a junior engineer, Pavitra Majhi. The Officer-in-Charge of Pepermetla Police Station Premchand Bag had suo motu filed the case a day after the incident at Chitrakonda Police Station, Malkangiri Sub-Divisional Police Officer Umashanker Das said. The Collector and engineer were released later.

In a separate incident, Jayaram Pangi, Member of Parliament (Koraput District) and Ramamurty Mutika, Member of Legislative Assembly (Gunpur, Koraput), reportedly received threatening letters from one Azad of Bansadhara division of the Maoists, stating that they will receive death penalty if they continued with their anti-tribal activities. Both Pangi and Mutika are known tribal leaders from the tribal belt of southern Odisha.

February 28: The bail application of Sriramulu Srinivasulu, one of the CPI-Maoist cadres whose release had been demanded by abductors of Malkangiri District Collector R V Krishna, was rejected by a local court. Additional District Judge M S Dhal rejected the bail plea of Srinivasulu, who had a week ago been granted bail by a Fast Track Court in connection with another case, his lawyer R P Patnaik said.

March 1: Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram refrained from confirming that he had opposed Odisha Government's decision to release five CPI-Maoist cadres to secure the release of District Collector R. Vineel Krishna and a junior engineer P. Majhi from the captivity of the Maoists. Asked about the "swap", Chidambaram limited himself to saying that he respected the "judgement" of the Odisha Government. "It's not important whether we agree or disagree. It was a sensitive matter and it was handled by the State Government. They have handled it to the best of their ability," Chidambaram said.

One Manas Kumar Parida of Jagatpur of Cuttack District filed a PIL urging the High Court to direct the CBI for a thorough inquiry into the alleged abduction of Malkangiri Collector and a junior engineer by the Maoists and their subsequent release after eight days of captivity.

March 2: In a meeting chaired by the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, it was decided that the State Government would not withdraw SFs from areas dominated by the CPI-Maoist, though it announced to halt combing operations since February 20, following abduction of Malkangiri District collector R Vineel Krishna and junior engineer Pabitra Majhi, a senior Home Department official said. "According to commitments made to the mediators, the State Government will not take any coercive step till peace prevailed," Chief Secretary BK Patnaik said earlier. Besides 12 battalions of central para-military forces (seven battalions of CRPF and five battalions of BSF, adequate number of Odisha Police's elite anti-Naxalite force - SOG, IRB, DVF and SPOs were also deployed for anti-Maoist operations. Now with the State Government deciding not to execute Operation Green Hunt, these Forces would keep a watch on the movement of Maoists and their activities, the official said. "Presence of BSF and CRPF in Maoist-hit areas is itself an indication that the State Government will act if required," the official added.

March 4: Three CPI-Maoist cadres surrendered before the Police in Keonjhar District. The surrendered cadres are identified as Sadhu Mahakud (16), Mahendra (15) and Sangit (38) were wanted for several crimes, including blowing up a Police Station, setting ablaze and ransacking liquor shops, attacking the Police and villagers, and damaging private and Government vehicles. Sangit was involved in the Nayagarh attack in 2008, SP Ashish Kumar Singh said.

Justice C.R. Das, of the Odisha High Court has granted conditional bail to four Maoist cadres, identified as Roza Mandangi, Gokul Kuldipia, A. Iswari and Kendula Sirisha alias Padma, whose release had been demanded by the Maoists for the release of Malkangiri District Collector R Vineel Krishna from their captivity. The Judge has granted bail against deposit of INR 20,000. Roza and Gokul will report to the Investigating Officer (IO) in every 15 days. Further, with the condition that they cannot go outside of the District without the permission from the Police. The court also directed the Odisha Police to hand over Iswari and Padma to Andhra Pradesh Police within two days. The two were asked not to enter the State until summoned by the SDJM’s court in Jeypore, Koraput District. In addition, Maoist leader Ganti Prasadam, who is currently lodged in the Koraput District jail, is likely to be out on bail, with his lawyer trying to get people who would stand surety for him.

March 5: Satrughan Biswal alias Mangu alias Mohan, the second-in-command in CPI-Maoist of the Odisha State Committee, was arrested by the Police from near the railway station in Bargarh District. Biswal, a resident of Ersama area in Jagatsinghpur District, was operating in three Districts of Bargarh, Nuapada and Bolangir, SP Soorya Thankappan said. One country-made 9 mm pistol, six rounds of ammunition, a mobile phone, cash amounting to INR 54, 550, a letter to Maoist leaders and various Maoist-related documents were recovered from him, SP Thankappan said. Biswal, actively associated with Maoist activities since 2006, is considered as next to Sabyasachi Panda in the Maoist rank and file in the State.

March 7: The CPI-Maoist had called a State-wide bandh, to protest against the violation of the peace agreement arrived at during the Malkangiri hostage crisis by arresting a top Maoist leader in Bargarh District on March 5. The bandh was called by the outfit's Odisha State Organizing Committee.

About 20 Maoist posters were found near the proposed site of the POSCO Steel Plant in parts of Ersama of Jagatsinghpur District. The posters were written in Oriya, in which the Maoists warned the authority of "consequences" if the land acquisition work was not stopped immediately. In these posters the Maoists claimed that all political parties Congress, BJD, BJP among others were dancing to the tune of the private companies and allowing these companies to loot minerals of the State. Some of these posters were found on the walls of Ersama High School and store house of the supply department.

Five Maoists cadres identified as Ganti Prasadam, Padma, wife of Maoist leader Ramakrishna, Andaluri Iswari, Rosa Mandangi and Gokul Kuldipia booked at Koraput jail expressed their unwillingness to be released despite being granted bail by the Odisha High Court after the State Government decided to withdraw cases against them in the wake of Malkangiri District collector's abduction. The Maoist leaders demanded the release of 627 tribals lodged in different jails. "Unless the Government starts initiative to free the tribals from jail according to the agreement, we will not avail of the bail," Ganti Prasadam told his lawyer Nihar Patnaik.

According to SP, Nuapada, Rajesh Pandit, the Maoists have started consolidating in the Sunabeda tiger reserve in Nuapada District. SP Pandit said that around 175 Maoists are entrenched in the sanctuary. "The number of Maoists has increased in the past two weeks. It has almost trebled as earlier only 50 to 60 Maoists had been camping in the area," the SP said.

March 10: In a high-level meeting held in Bhubaneswar under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the State Government has decided to construct 614.82 kilometres of road under State Road Project during the 2011-12 financial years in 15 CPI-Maoist-affected Districts of the State. As many 13 new road and one bridge project would be constructed in the tribal dominated areas, according to an official spokesperson. He said that for the development of road connectivity in the CPI-Maoist-affected Districts of the State, project proposals were submitted with Centre for Improvement of 490 kilometres of State roads and sanction of Government of India has been received for 205 kilometres of roads. He said that by 2011 January, 362 road projects have been approved under RIDF under NABARD assistance.

March 11: The CPI-Maoist cadres threatened the District authorities against carrying out any road construction activities and "prohibited" entry of Government officials into the "cut off" area of six Panchayats and a number of tribal hamlets on the AOBSZC, bringing all development activities to a grinding halt. "Three days ago, the CPI-Maoist communicated to staff posted in the mainland that they would not allow any construction activity, including building of roads in the area and also warned against Government officials visiting the "cut off" area," Official sources said in Kudumulu Gumma block.

In its bid to encourage youths to join mainstream, the State Government has planned a mega job fair in CPI-Maoist-affected Districts. "A Mega Job Fair has been planned in Left-Wing Extremism affected Districts like Malkangiri, Koraput and Nabarangpur on March 12 and 13," said Director of State Employment Mission A K Padhee in Bhubaneswar.

A Standing Committee of Odisha Legislative Assembly on Home Department recommended creation of a Security Battalion to guard 16 jails in CPI-Maoist-affected areas and eight other highly sensitive prisons. The committee said that the CPI-Maoist are trying to open up new fronts in Odisha-Chhattisgarh border by expanding its activities to Districts like Nabarangpur, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Bolangir and Bargarh. "The outfit is also trying to consolidate in Mayurbhanj District bordering West Midnapore District of West Bengal," the committee cautioned the State Government in its report tabled in the Assembly. Stating that as many as 179 CPI-Maoist were arrested till November 2010, the committee suggested that adequate security needs to be placed around jails housing top Maoist cadres.

The Odisha High Court rejected the bail application of top CPI-Maoist leader Ashutosh Soren who was arrested for his alleged role in the Nayagarh armoury loot case of February 2008. Justice C R Dash refused to grant bail to Ashutosh stating that some arms looted from the armoury were traced in possession of the bail applicant who was arrested by Rourkela Police just about a year after the Nayagarh incident.

March 15: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist reportedly set ablaze an excavator being used for PMGSY work in Kalimela Police Station area of Malkangiri District. According to sources, Padia Dalam of Maoists was involved in the act. Inspector R.K. Pati from Malkangiri said, as per eye witnesses around a dozen Maoists, led by woman Maoist ‘commander’ Meena reached the spot to set ablaze the excavator. The excavator was parked near Sangel village of Undrukonda Panchayat of Kalimela Block.

March 16: A Malkangiri court acquitted Maoist leader Srinivas Sriramalu (41), former chief of Revolutionary Writers Association, in a dacoity case of 2007. Srinivas was asked to be released by the Maoists in exchange in the abduction case of Krishna and Majhi. According to his lawyer, Srinivas who was arrested in 2007 from Bariguda forest in Kalimela area of the District had been tried in six cases since then and he was acquitted in all six cases, including three murder charges. "First Srinivas was tried in four cases in which he was acquitted. But the Police again implicated him in two more cases in which he was acquitted," his counsel said. Prior to his arrest Srinivas was carrying a cash prize of INR 1.2 million in Andhra Pradesh.

March 17: Seven CPI-Maoist cadres were arrested by the Police in a search operation started in the Saranda forest.

Two miscreants identified as Dambaru Dadhia and Dayanidhi Khila of Mantriput village were arrested for extorting money in the name of Maoists from Chitrakonda area in Malkangiri District.

A female Maoist leader Chanpa Madangi alias Aruna surrendered before the, SP Anup Krishna, in Rayagada District. She expressed that she has left the Maoist organization to be included in the mainstream. She is a resident of Laxmipur area in Koraput District. She was working in the Niyamgiri Dalam.

The cadres of the CPI-Maoist fired at two persons, seriously injuring both in Malkangiri District. Police said a group of four masked Maoists fired at Sukra Hantal (50), the village priest, as soon he opened the door of his house in Katapalli village, about 40 kilometres from Malkangiri, injuring the priest, while 25 other Maoists were waiting outside. The priest's wife Hiramani (35) was also hit by bullets and was seriously injured, the Police said.

March 19: Train services between Rourkela and Barsua in Sundargarh District were suspended, following threat given by the cadres of the CPI-Maoist in protest against ongoing 'Saranda Operation’ in Jharkhand area of Orissa-Jharkhand border. Several Maoists, according to the Police sources, pasted posters and placed red banner on the railway track at Topadihi station forcing the authorities to suspend the rail services, railway sources said. The train line is connected to the mining belt to transport iron ore to Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) and only one passenger train operates on that route which has been suspended due to threat, they said.

March 21: In reply to a question in the State Assembly in Bhubaneswar, CM Naveen Patnaik said that an estimated 700 CPI-Maoist cadres were active in 19 Districts of the State and the Government has begun the process of identifying them. The identification of Maoists was a time consuming process as the members of the banned outfits often take fake names. The State Police along with Central Paramilitary Forces deployed in different parts of the State were engaged in raids, frisking and other activities to identify them, Patnaik added. He further rejected allegations of killings during encounters and arrest of innocent tribals. Replying to another question, CM said as many as 81 Maoists has surrendered before the Police during the last five years.

March 22: The white paper released by State Home Department stated that CPI-Maoist cadres killed 75 persons including 53 civilians while the SF personnel killed only 12 Maoists in Odisha during 2010. Though 61 persons were killed by the Maoists in 2009, the number of killing increased last year. While 28 civilians were killed by the Maoists in 2009, the number of civilian casualty increased to 53 in 2010, the paper said adding that 20 Maoists were shot dead by the SF personnel in 2009. Many innocent persons were being killed by the Maoists in the name of Police informers. "People opposing the Maoists activities were also victims," the paper added. In a bid to weaken the morale of SF personnel, the Maoists used to organise bandh, road blockade and blew up culverts and telephone towers, it said adding while ten Maoists had surrendered before the Police in 2009, the number rose to 44 in 2010. The white paper further said the number of Districts hit by the Maoists increased to 19 by 2010 even as Paramilitary Forces were deployed in the entire southern Odisha. As part of efforts to combat the Maoists, the State Government has taken several steps like banning the CPI-Maoists and its six frontal organisations, creation of a Unified Command to monitor anti-Maoist operation and setting up of new battalions among others.

March 23: The bail application of top CPI-Maoist leader Sriramulu Srinivasulu in Odisha High Court was adjourned to April 14 in Cuttack District. Adjourning the hearing, Justice C.R. Dash called for the case diaries. The Maoist leader, who was acquitted in a dacoity case earlier this month, has been lodged in Malkangiri jail for his alleged involvement in assaulting Policemen.

March 24: The Odisha Government announced that a Special Task Force (STF) in the Crime Branch would be created to effectively deal with organized crimes as well as for investigation of CPI-Maoist-related cases. Replying to the discussion on the demand for grants relating to Home and General Administration Department for the year 2011-12 fiscal, CM Naveen Patnaik announced that an Economic Offence Wing in Crime Branch would be created to deal with cases pertaining to investment related fraud, land related forgery and fraud and bank frauds. On the measures to tackle the Maoist menace, the CM said that to boost the morale of Forces engaged in anti-insurgency operations, it has been decided to waive the ceiling limit of income to extend the benefit of rehabilitation assistance to the next of kin of Police Officers killed in Maoist violence. He said that the State Government had decided to enhance the strength of elite anti-Maoist operation Force, the SOG by creating 1,609 new posts taking the sanctioned strength to 3,967.

April 1: Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist attacked, looted and ransacked the house of a trader at Asurabandha village under Sorada block in Ganjam District. According to sources, a group of around 30 cadres of the Maoists had reached the Asurabandha village, targeted the house of Brajabandhu Choudhury and searched for his son Badri Choudhury, a cloth merchant and private money lender. Badri was not at home. The cadres dragged the whole family out of the house. Then they ransacked it and looted all the valuables. They also ransacked and looted a medicine shop and cloth shop near the house. Later, they also threatened a licensed liquor shop to close down its operations.

April 2: 14 cadres of the CPI-Maoist-backed CMAS have been acquitted by the Additional District Judge Suresh Kumar Patnaik in Koraput District. After abduction of the Malkangiri Collector and Junior Engineer of Kudumulu Gumma Block, the mediators placed conditions to release 617 under trial prisoners of CMAS from different jails. It was alleged that about more than 200 CMAS cadres along with the Maoists attacked on a country liquor shop and set ablaze in the night of January 4, 2009. As per the FIR of the owner of the country liquor shop, Rajendra Kumar Jadab, the Police arrested 14 cadres of CMAS. The Additional District Judge Patnaik acquitted the 14 cadres due to want of evidence.

April 2: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed two persons, including a village ward member, finding them guilty at a praja court at Naglur village within Kalimela Police limits in Malkangiri District. The duos were identified as Tapel Gangeya, a villager and Sanyasi Barge, the village ward member. "The rebels had summoned five villagers to the praja court but zeroed in on the two and pumped bullets into them. Since the release of the collector, this is the first Maoist offensive in the district," Inspector-in-Charge of Kalimela Police Station Debasish Mishra said.

April 3: Chenda Bhushanam alias Katru alias Ghasi alias Nagraju (45), a top leader of the CPI-Maoist AOBSZC was arrested during a joint combing operation by the SOG troopers, Greyhounds and Odisha Police at near Pendajam village of Dudhari Panchayat under Semiliguda Police Station in Koraput District. Ghasi belonged to a village near Araku valley in Vishakhapatnam District of Andhra Pradesh, joined the Maoist movement long ago and worked for the East Godavari Division. Ghasi carried a reward of INR One million on his head. He was reportedly involved in over 30 cases of Maoist-related violence, which he committed with complicity of another top Maoist leader Daya. He is said to be next only to top Maoist leader and ‘secretary’ of AOBSZC Akkiraju Haragopal alias Ramakrishna alias RK.  Ghasi was described as the ‘military and action man’ of the outfit and was also the spokesperson for Koraput-Srikakulam Division. The Police have seized a 9mm pistol from him.

171 activists of CPI-Maoist-backed CMAS lodged in Koraput jail have started hunger strike from April 4 demanding their release. These imprisoned CMAS activists have taken up this agitation under leadership of spokesperson of the outfit Tapan Mishra.

April 6: The Odisha Government claimed that at least 20 cadres of the CPI-Maoist were killed and 38 others arrested during first three months of 2011 in the face of opposition claim that the morale of State Police was at its lowest after five Maoists were set free to secure release of abducted Malkangiri District Collector.

In a reply to an adjournment motion in the House of State Assembly on April 6, CM Naveen Patnaik said, "Security Forces during the first three months of 2011 have arrested 38 ultras while 20 others died in operation. Fifteen Maoists have surrendered before the police during the period." Rejecting the opposition allegation that there was total anarchy in the State, Patnaik said the State Government was taking all possible steps to contain Naxal (LWE) violence. "There had been regular joint operation against the LWE in the State's border," he added. Besides, Patnaik said, a large number of arms and ammunition was seized by SFs personnel during raids on Maoist hideouts. "The Police were keeping a close watch on the movement and activities of Maoists," the CM added.

April 8: Two CPI-Maoist cadres including a minor surrendered in Jajpur District. The duo, Anil and Baya, surrendered before the SP Dhirendra S. Kuttey. "Since five years Baya is working with the Maoists and Anil has been working for the last one and half years with the Maoists and they were involved in various violent Maoist activities", the SP said. Police said that under central Government's rehabilitation policy, the surrendered Maoists would be provided with occupational assistance to make them professionally active and earn their daily bread.

April 9: Following a tip-off regarding the presence of about 10 cadres of the CPI-Maoist, the CRPF troopers, local Police and DVF raided a Maoists camp at Bali Hills in Keonjhar District. The Maoist camp was neutralised and the Police recovered a huge cache of explosives. "This is the biggest haul from any Maoist camp in the District," Keonjhar SP Ashish Singh told reporters adding that the Security Force Personnel had to defuse some land mines in order to reach the Maoist camp. The recovered materials included one GPS set, 72 detonators, battery, country made guns, gelatine sticks, electric fuse wire, country made bomb, landmines, CD, radio, medicines, thermometers, Maoist literature, books, letters, posters, leaflets and other items, the SP said. The Maoists having links with Maoist leader Sushil had put up the camp to train their cadre inside the forests of the District, the SP added.

The Maoists have threatened to kill Sikhya Sahayaks (teaching assistants) in Koraput District if they are recruited from outside the District. The warning was inscribed on a banner found on the collectorate premises. The banner was spotted a day after the Maoists blocked the Sunki-Ampabali road within Pottangi Police limits in protest against the arrest of their Maoist leader Chenda Bhushanam alias Ghasi on April 3.

April 11: A CPI-Maoist top cadre was arrested by the Police and SOG troopers at Temurpally under Mathili Police Station in Malkangiri District. The Maoist cadre, identified as Pitabas Singh Thakur (32), belongs to Komakolen village in Dantewada District in Chhattisgarh, was involved in extorting money from traders of the weekly local market, Mathili Police Station Inspector-in-Charge Ramakrushna Pati said. Thakur was working under Daraba Dalam of Chhattisgarh and is a close associate of Surendra, the commandant of Daraba Dalam, who had allegedly masterminded the killing of 76th CRPF personnel in Dantewada District on April 6, 2010, Pati said. Thakur was also involved in blasting of Police outposts at Mundaguda and Salimi under Mathili Police Station limits in 2009.

April 13: The fast-unto-death hunger strike launched by top Maoist leader Srinivas Sriramalu along with other 220 tribal prisoners in Malkangiri Jail enters the second day, protesting the failure of the State Government to fulfill all the 14-conditions as agreed between the Government and Maoist interlocutors in the release of District Collector R. Vineel Krishna on February 24. "The inmates refused to call off their strike, but after much persuasion they took flattened rice. We are trying to pacify them and hopeful of a solution at the earliest," a jail official said.

The CPI-Maoist leader Srinivas Sriramalu called off the hunger strike on the third day, along with 272 other inmates of Malkangiri sub-jail in the District. All the 272 inmates, including 31 Maoists, launched the fast on April 11, in protest against the State Government's alleged failure in fulfilling the 14 demands laid by the Maoists for the release of abducted Malkangiri District Collector R Vineel Krishna and junior engineer Pabitra Majhi. Srinivas and all other inmates called off their agitation after getting assurance from the administration that their demand will be intimated to the Government for its fulfillment at the earliest, jail Superintendent Gopinath Chowdhury said.

April 16: One of the Mediator Dandapani Mohanty during abduction crisis of Malkangiri collector urges Odisha Government to implement the agreement between the Mediators and the Government of Odisha in a press conference in Bhubaneswar.

April 19: The CPI-Maoist cadres killed a forest guard, identified as Sisir Khosla (46), at Sunanagar Ghati under Orkel Police Station area in Malkangiri District. Khosla was working in Balimela forest range.

The Police arrested three Maoists, including a top Maoist, near Budhakhamari village under Bangriposhi Police Station in Mayurbhanj District. SP Dayal Gangwar said that the top Maoist has been identified as Khokan Mahato alias Khagen (35), a resident of Simili area under Jhargram Police Station in West Midnapore District in West Bengal. Khagen was an 'area commander' and more than 30 cases, including murder, abduction and treason are pending against him in Odisha and West Bengal. Khagen was also involved in the abducting and killing of a Police Constable, Sarkar Hembram, at Beliabeda on March 6, the SP said. The other two arrestees were identified as Naba Mahanta and Jitendra Mahanta, his accomplices. The Police recovered land mines and some Maoist literature, Maoist posters from their homes.

April 20: Sariami Dara alias Santosh (35), a self-styled 'deputy commandant' of the CPI-Maoist, surrendered before DIG, south-west range, Soumendra Priyadarshi in Malkangiri District. According to Malkangiri Police, Santosh was a part of the AOBSZC of the Maoists. Santosh, hailed from Jileliguda village under MV-79 Police Station area, and was active in Malkangiri, Koraput and Rayagada Districts, SP Anirudha Singh said. He had joined the Maoists around ten years ago and was involved in several major cases of violence and killings in Odisha and adjoining States. Santosh was involved in the killing of 38 greyhound troopers of Andhra Pradesh while they were crossing Balimela reservoir in Malkangiri District after a combing operation in June 2008. He was also part of the team of Maoists that triggered the powerful landmine blast to kill seventeen SOG troopers in an anti-landmine vehicle near MV126 village in the District in July 2008. He was also part of Maoist attacks on Koraput town and its District armory in 2004, attack on Nayagarh town and its armory in 2008, Maoist attack on Panchpatmali hilltop mines of NALCO at Damanjodi of Koraput District in 2009.

A meeting was held in the Odisha Secretariat under the Chairmanship of the Chief Secretary Bijaya Kumar Patnaik to review on the progress of the Integrated Action Plan in 15 Maoist prone Districts. As per the information in the meeting, out of INR 3.75 billion financial assistance, INR 3.41 billion has already been utilized and the works of 7,587 projects are in progress. It is expected to take up projects of INR 4.50 billion in the next year. Including Development Commissioner Rabinarayan Senapati, Secretaries of Water Resources, Rural Development, Special Secretary of Planning and Coordination Department were present. It was emphasized to prepare the guide line as per requirement of the people, and to alternate arrangement if any project not applicable. After the meeting the Chief Secretary said, the first phase of INR 4.77 billion will be completed by the month of June. It is to be mentioned here that the Government has sanctioned INR 250 million each to 15 District Collectors in the year 2010-11 and has been instructed to utilize by June.

April 21: The District Police recovered two landmines with about 50 kilograms of explosive materials planted by the CPI-Maoist cadres at two different places on the road connecting Kunduli and Deomali hills in Koraput District. According to DIG Soumendra Priyadarshi, South West range, these landmines were planted by the Maoists to block the Police Forces reaching the mountains last month when they had organised a meeting along with the CMAS of Narayanpatna. The recovery included 180 gelatine sticks, four detonators and about 30 metres of wire. Looking at the amount of explosives recovered, Priyadarshi said that the landmine could have blown off a heavy vehicle with ease.

The HC in Cuttack District granted bail to top Maoist leader of Andhra Pradesh Sriramulu Srinivasulu, who is now lodged in Malkangiri jail for his alleged involvement in assaulting the State Police. The single judge Bench of Justice C. R. Dash granted bail to Sriramulu for a bail bond of INR 30,000 and two sureties of like amount. The HC however, has imposed some strict conditions on the release of the Maoist leader who was arrested in July 2007 from Bariguda forest in Kalimela area of Malkangiri District. The HC has asked Sriramulu to leave the State within 24 hours of his release and shall not enter into the State unless and until he is summoned by any court.

April 23: Three CPI-Maoist cadres, including a 15-year-old boy, involved in offences like attack on SFs and abduction, surrendered before the Police in Jajpur District. The Maoists were identified as Harish Badra (15), Laba Badra (23) of Baligotha village in Jajpur and Banamali Jerai (48) of Jamabahali village in Keonjhar District, Jajpur SP D S Kuttey said.

April 24: A woman CPI-Maoist cadre identified as Gajla (20) was killed in an encounter with the SFs in Malkangiri District. Acting on a tip-off, troopers of the elite anti-Naxal (LWE) SOG and the DVF arrived at the Tentulipadar village and raided Nakamamudi forest under Chitrakonda Police limits and were challenged by the Maoists camped there. “The force retaliated after the Maoists fired at them,” DIG Soumendra Priyadarshi, said. After an hour long exchange of fire between both the sides, the Police were able to kill the woman cadre on the spot, while the rest of the Maoists managed to escape from the site. Huge cache of arms & ammunitions including one .303 rifle, a .12 gun, SBML gun, one live landmine, several hand-grenades, country made gun, claymore mines, a DVD player, tape-recorders, a bag of Maoist literatures and 16 pairs of dress were recovered from the encounter site, the Police said. Gajla is believed to be from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

April 27: The Odisha Government has apparently taken the decision to resume the operation against the CPI-Maoist after intelligence inputs revealed that the Maoists were regrouping and planning for major operations in the State. Odisha Police DG-in-charge Anup Patnaik said that the State Government had agreed to refrain from operation against them if they did not indulged in any unlawful activities, but the Maoists have breached the agreement. Patnaik said there had been a marked increase in the activities of the Maoists in the recent weeks. They have violated the agreement with the Government by distributing provocative posters, terrorising people in villages and moving around with arms and ammunition, he said. "We have detected several Maoist camps in Malkangiri, Koraput, Ganjam and Sundergarh. We have reports that three main Maoist groups have planned a major operation in the State," he added.

A woman commander of the CPI-Maoist, Koraput division militia group, identified as J .Susheela alias Pushpa (23), surrendered before DIG southern range, Soumendra Priyadarshi and in the presence of SP Anup Sahu in Koraput District. Pushpa headed the publicity and cultural wing of the Maoists in the District before being assigned tougher operational tasks. Pushpa was active in Odisha and adjoining Andhra Pradesh. She had carried a reward of INR 200, 000 cash on her head in Andhra Pradesh. She was also involved in a major encounter with the Police at Kalimela in Malkangiri District. Pushpa also the wife of jailed top ranking Maoist leader Chenda Bhushan alias Ghasi, a senior member of the AOBSZC, revealed to the Police that the Maoists had become apathetic towards her since the arrest of her husband on April 25 and was not even paying any attention to her health problems.

Pushpa hails from a family of menial labourers at Vanakawadi village under Elvinpeta Police Station in Vizianagaram District of Andhra Pradesh. Pushpa joined the Maoists in 2005 and had married Ghasi in 2010. She was involved in several major cases of Maoist violence in undivided Koraput District and adjoining Andhra Pradesh. She was involved in attack on Panchpatmali hill top mines of NALCO in Koraput District on April 12, 2009. She was also part of the Maoist group that attacked R. Ugayagiri town and jail in Gajapati District on March 24, 2006 and an encounter with Security Forces in Kalimela area of Malkangiri District in 2008. She was also involved in several cases of violence in Andhra Pradesh. According to the DIG Priyadarshi, she was leader of Jan Natya Mandali, and as an area committee member she had the capacity to carry a .303 rifle in the outfit.

April 28: The CPI-Maoist gave a bandh call in Malkangiri District alleging non-fulfillment of promises made by the State Government for the release of Malkangiri Collector R. Vineel Krishna and junior engineer Pabitra Majhi. The bandh call had partial impact in a few strongholds of Maoists in the District. . As reported earlier, the duo was abducted by the Maoists on February 16, 2011 and later released on February 24, 2011.

April 30: The CPI-Maoist cadres are holding recruitment drive and training camps at Saranda forest situated along the Jharkhand-Odisha interstate border, the Police said. Lalgarh Maoist leader Bikram Mahato and a host of trained cadres, including women, from Chhattisgarh are attending camps set up by the Maoists inside Saranda forest where training is being imparted in guerilla warfare, arms and handling of explosives, the Police said. Leader of the Maoist women's wing, Chameli alias Rekha is providing arms training to the women cadre to build its 'Nari Sena'. At least three major training camps run by the outfit's Chhota Nagpur zonal committee are in existence at Digha, Balwa and Thalkobad area of Jharkhand and lie between the entry point in Bisra in Sundargarh District and Mancharpur and Kiriburu of Jharkhand. The recruitment drive and the training camps by the Maoists are taking place after a long hiatus and the Police are keeping a close watch on movements of the Maoists, who have lured hundreds of tribal youths and girls belonging to villages on both sides of the inter-State border with promises of financial packages, the Police said. The Karampada route serve as the only supply line for logistics and other provisions, the Police added.

The cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed a contractor identified as Ganesh Khosla, in Bandhugaon block of Koraput District. A group of Maoists reached Mahaguda village at around 2 am and took away Ganesh with them. Later, he was shot dead on the outskirts of village, SP, Anup Kumar Sahu said. A letter in Telugu in the name of Koraput-Srikakulam division of CPI-Maoist outfit was found near the body. The letter said that the Maoists had alleged that Ganesh was a Police informer and part of the Shanti Committee, which is opposed to activities of Maoists and Maoist-backed CMAS in the District, due to which he was killed as a punishment, the SP added. Maoists had alleged that Ganesh was exploiting his labourers and was also involved in corrupt practices in his construction work.

May 1: A group of the CPI-Maoist cadres assaulted Penta Majhi (24), son of Ganga Majhi, a village sarpanch and set him ablaze to death in Kurab village under Kalimela Police Station area in Malkangiri District. According to the Malkangiri District Police, the family members of Penta did not initially lodge the complaint and hence official information about the incident came out three days later. Investigation revealed, Maoists were believed to have asked Penta to join their outfit but as he refused, they set him ablaze.

May 2: An encounter with the cadres of the CPI-Maoist took place when a team of about 15 troopers of IRB was undertaking combing operation at Kalingbadi forest under Daringbadi Police Station area in Kandhamal District. Two troopers were killed in the firing of the Maoists, the Police said. As per the report one dead body was recovered while the other one is yet to be recovered, the Police added. The personal security officer of SP Sujit Ray and the body guard of ASP Brijesh Kumar were injured in the firing of the Maoists.

May 5: The Odisha Government has decided to raise another 50 SOG to combat the CPI-Maoist menace in the State. State Home Secretary U. N. Behera said, "The State has already formed 50 SOG units comprising 1,800 jawans. Another 1,800 jawans will be recruited under the SOG units." "We have plans to recruit another 5,000 constables to fill up the vacancies. The Government has already given the financial approval," Behera added.

Apart from raising the SOG units, the Government is also planning to set up four counter-insurgency anti-terrorists (CIT) schools in the State. Behera said the proposed CIT schools would impart training to the troopers of Odisha Police. The schools would come up at Chandaka, Rourkela and Koraput. Similarly, Police training schools would also come up at Bairi and Sambalpur. The Odisha Government has also decided to urge the Centre to initiate steps in providing an 18-seater chopper to the State. "We have started negotiating with the Pawan Hansh. During our proposed meeting with the cabinet secretary, we have decided to raise this issue," said a senior officer.

Five battalions of the BSF, seven battalions of the CRPF, 50 units of the SOG, four battalions of the IRB and personnel of one CoBRA battalion have been put into service across the Maoists-infested Districts in the State. While the BSF has been deployed in Malkangiri and Koraput, CRPF troopers have been posted in Rayagada, Gajapati, Sundergarh, Kandhamal, Mayurbhanj, Deogarh and Keonjhar.

The Maoists blew up a panchayat office with landmines in the District. A group of 50 Maoist cadres stormed into Niliguda under Padia block, about 35 kilometres from the District, and triggered IED explosions to blow up the gram panchayat building, Padia BDO Subhash Singh said. The ceiling of the two-storied building caved in and the structure suffered extensive damage in the blast, he said, adding that the same building had come under attack by Maoists during construction last year.

Five platoons of Armed Forces were deployed following a dawn to dusk bandh at Daringbadi and its adjoining areas in Kandhamal District. The bandh call was given by a group of organisations such as BSP, AAA, PDBM, and OAM. They were protesting against the lathi-charge on a group of protestors, including women, near Daringbadi block office on May 4, demanding the release of a group a villagers from Kerubadi and Bhramarbadi villages, who had been taken in for interrogation after an ambush by Maoists near Kerubadi village on May 2, in which two SFs were killed and one SF was injured.

May 6: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist ransacked and looted a SPO house and a liquor shop in Malkangiri District. About 100 Maoist cadres stormed into the house of SPO Sukdev Madi at Gomphagunda in Kalimela area, and looted all the household goods, electronic gadgets and valuables, the Police said, adding the Maoists also looted the food grains stored in the house. The SPO, who had been threatened by the Maoists to quit his job, was in the District Headquarter with his family when the incident took place.

A large number of Maoists ransacked the Government liquor shop at Padia, about 65 kilometres from the District and destroyed the stock at the licensed outlet, Excise Superintendent Loknath Mandia said. The Maoists also looted cash from the liquor shop. However, no injury to anyone in the incident was reported, he said. A letter found at the spot accused the State Government of failing to meet the demands made by Maoists for the release of then Malkangiri Collector R V Krishna, who had been abducted by them in February, police said.

May 8: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist ransacked and looted the house of a Police Constable Sukra Madhi at Gagrimetla village in Malkangiri District. According to Malkangiri SP Aniruddha Singh, Madhi was not posted in the District. So, he was not at home when around 100 armed Maoists along with a group of supporters reached his house and searched for him. The Maoists ransacked and looted his house. They also set ablaze a bike at the spot. It is reported that the Maoists assaulted his family members and threatened them to press upon Madhi to quit his Police job. The Maoists said that if Madhi did not quit his job, his family would have to leave the village.

May 13: A woman CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Basanti Badra (19), of village Baligotha under Kalinga Nagar Police Station surrendered in front of District SP in Jajpur District. She hails from Baligotha village near Kalinga Nagar Police Station of the District, who was active in Kalinga Nagar, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj and other areas. On April 23, 2011 her brother Laba alias Lilu Badra (15) and Harish Badra (23) surrendered before the Police. Shanti Badra another sister of the surrendered Maoist is still an active Maoist, added Police officer. Basanti and her brothers along with other Maoists were involved in planting of IEDs at Rai Ghati under Tomka Police Station in the District in 2010. They also killed Tuna Behera and Kailash Mahanta at Palaspalli under Daitari Police Station in June, 2010. Last year, they also attacked Daitari Police Station and looted explosives from Talangi mines in December, 2010, said Police Officer.

May 14: SFs and CPI-Maoist cadres engaged in an encounter in Kalimela area of Malkangiri District. A joint Police team from Odisha and Andhra Pradesh and the Maoist cadres exchanged several rounds in a deep forest near Kurab village, about 60 kilometres from Malkangiri town, of Bodigeta panchayat in Kalimela area. No one was reported dead or injured, the Police said. "Spotting security personnel the Maoists fired and our men retaliated. The rebels managed to flee," said IIC Kalimela Police Station Debasish Mishra.

May 16: Eleven persons, including a CPI-ML's Odisha unit secretary Tapan Mishra, arrested in 2009 on the charge of being CPI-Maoist cadres, were acquitted, by Additional district and sessions judge Suresh Kumar Patnaik in a local court in Koraput District. The arrestees were acquitted, for lack of evidence against them, said advocate Nihar Patnaik. SF personnel of Odisha's elite SOG, Greyhound of Andhra Pradesh, CRPF and CoBRA personnel had arrested at least 15 people, including four minors, following a raid at Jangudibalsa village within Bandhugaon Police Station limits on November 28, 2009.

May 18: Two CPI-Maoist cadres, a father-son duo, reportedly involved in several activities, were arrested along with huge quantity of Maoist literature from Kandhamal District. Acting on a tip-off, the Police raided the house of the accused at Ranabakarada and arrested the duo, identified as Ramesh Nayak (42) and his son Jitendra, IIC of Raikia Police Station R N Barik said. Several Maoist literature including posters, leaflets and pamphlets were recovered from the house during the raid. During interrogation, both admitted their involvement in an attack on a forest range office at Barba in Raikia area in February, 2009, Barik said adding they were also involved in critically injuring a chowkidar in the area in 2010.

IG of Prisons, Pranabindu Acharya, said that security of jails in Maoist-prone areas and jails that house Maoist prisoners would be enhanced. He said 24 jails in the State had prisoners with Maoist links in them. It had been planned to enhance their security through deployment of armed personnel of OSAP and use of closed circuit TV cameras.

May 21: Cadres of the CPI-Maoist triggered a landmine blast damaging a stretch of railway track at a place between Renjeda and Roxy in Sundargarh District, the first day of a two-day bandh called by the Maoists, reports DNA.

The Maoists set afire at least 12 dumpers at Chunaghati on National Highway No. 215 under Koida Police Station in the District.

Normal life was also affected in other Districts including Malkangiri, Rayagada, Koraput, Gajapati and Kandhamal during the bandh as buses stopped plying and most private vehicles went off the roads in these regions.

May 22: Suspected CPI-Maoist leaflets were recovered from Bentkar village under in Bayalish mouza area in Cuttack District.

May 23: Nine Policemen, including the ASP of Gariabandh block in Raipur District, were killed in a landmine blast triggered by the CPI-Maoist in Sunabeda forest in Nuapada District. A hunt is on for a missing policeman. Senior Police officials on May 24 said that a 10-member Police team led by ASP Rajesh Pawar was sent to Amamora and Sonabed forest following reports of Maoist movement in the area. When the Police team was returning in the evening, their vehicle broke down following which they boarded a tractor. The Maoists then triggered a landmine blast in which the tractor was blown up. Nine policemen were killed in the attack, the officials said.

Vehicular traffic grinded to a halt, in several parts of Kandhamal and Gajapati Districts during the second day of the Maoist-called bandh, on May 22.

May 24: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said cases against tribals and some others, who had been lodged in jails on charges of CPI-Maoist activities, would be withdrawn soon. "Process is on to withdraw cases against the tribals by June 30," Patnaik said these after a two-hour meeting in the evening with the mediators R Hargopal and Dandapani Mohanty, who played a key role in the release of former Malkangiri collector R Vineel Krishna from Maoist captivity. Revolutionary poet Vara Vara Rao of Andhra Pradesh was also present in the meeting. Patnaik, however, said that the Maoists also must stop violence.

May 25: SF personnel engaged in anti-CPI-Maoist operation recovered 40 packets of liquid explosives, weighing 240 kilograms from a pit near Pachingi forests in Koraput District. The explosive were stored there by the Maoists.

May 26: A woman Maoist identified as Sushama Majhi alias Shanti (20) was arrested from Dengama forest near Paniganda in Gajapati District during a combing operation. Shanti is reportedly close to Maoist leaders Azad and Sabyasachi Panda. She was involved in six incidents of Maoist violence in Gajapati and Kandhamal Districts.

May 27: Admitting his involvement in the killing of VHP leader, Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati, surrendered CPI-Maoist leader, Dunna Keshav Rao alias Azad said that the decision to eliminate him was taken by the top leadership of the CPI-Maoist. "The decision to kill Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati was taken at a higher level. We only executed it," revealed Azad.

The Maoists killed two persons, branding them to be Police informers in two separate incidents in Nuapada District bordering Chhattisgarh. The victims were identified as Nageswar Majhi (28) of Koten village and Parsuram Majhi (30) of Jalamibadar village. According to the Police a group of Maoists reached their village and the victims were dragged out of their homes. They were assaulted to death in front of villagers who were forced to gather up and witness the gruesome act. Maoists also left posters at the spot of killing, in which they have warned that such killings will continue if SFs did not stop anti-naxal operations and combing in Maoist-affected areas.

A Maoist cadre, identified as Lalit Biusika, was arrested by SFs during combing operation in Chandrapur block of Rayagada District. A country-made gun, Maoist posters and banners were recovered from him. According to the Police he was involved in the murder of a head constable of the CRPF Tek Chand at Hanumanthpur of Chandrapur block on December 30, 2010. A trooper of the OSAP was also injured in the attack. Lalit was also involved in the attack on the Chandrapur Police Station.

May 29: A CPI-Maoist couple who were reportedly involved the 2008 attack on the Police armoury in Nayagarh, surrendered before the Police in Puri District. The Maoists, identified as Anirudh Behera and his wife Rajalaxmi Biswal, surrendered before Puri SP Sanjay Kumar, saying they decided to leave the outfit because of harassment by higher-ups in the Maoist hierarchy. Both admitted that they were involved in several offences, including the attack on Police establishments and the looting of the armoury in Nayagarh in 2008, and worked in close association with top Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda, Police sources said.

The State Government claimed that there has been an immense setback to Maoists in the State. A team of Maoist sympathizers and interlocutors met with Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in Bhubaneswar on May 24 to remind the Odisha Government of the 14 promises they made but did not fulfill, to secure the release of then kidnapped Malkangiri collector R V Krishna. The mediators have now set June-end as the new deadline for the demands to be met. The Chief Minister, for his part, gave assurances that he will release 168 tribals involved in minor cases. "It has been a policy in our Government to withdraw minor cases against the tribals and we will do that again. But I have made it very clear that there have been several violent incidents in past three months and the Maoists should stop that immediately," said Naveen Patnaik.

May 31: About 25 to 30 CPI-Maoist cadres stormed the house of a prospective recruit in Buruda village in Bhanja Nagar area of Ganjam District and hacked one of his hands when he had refused to join their ranks.

Five persons, stated to be Maoists, who had been arrested in connection with the attack of an under construction power house in Gobindpalli area on February 22, 2009, were acquitted by a Fast Track court in Malkangiri for lack of adequate evidence.

June 2: A court in Odisha handed over the custody of top CPI-Maoist leader Duna Kesab Rao alias Azad to the State Police for questioning. Azad, who carried a reward of INR one million on his head in Andhra Pradesh, had surrendered before the Police in Andhra Pradesh. The Andhra Pradesh Police had handed over Azad to their Odisha counterparts in the night of June 1.

A three page letter written in Telgu language signed by the CPI-Maoist Malkangiri Division 'Secretary' Poonam Chand stating "We the Maoists are working for the people, but you are preventing us to reach the people by utilizing the Police there by foiling our mission," was handed over to Balwant Singh, District Collector of Malkangiri District by one Village Level Worker (VLW). The letter addressed to the Collector Balwant Singh further reads that "we released the then Collector R. Vineel Krishna in the 'Praja Court' after the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's assurance to abide by all the demands within 15 days", however instead of acting on the demands, the State Government is unnecessarily wasting times. The letter has asked the Collector "Are you mot aware about the killing of Comrade Gajla alias Ratnalu in Police encounter on April 24, 2011 at Tentulipadar village despite the State Governments claims that combing operation has been stopped". The Maoist letter has also demanded the release of all the tribals who have been languished in Malkangiri and Koraput jails on the false cases. The Maoist leader has also said no to operation green hunt. The Maoist leader has further urged to fulfill all the demands of the common men and to supply rice to the cut-off region soon. Any deviation of the warning would have dangerous consequence, the letter said.

June 4: The MHA has advised the Sates affected by the CPI-Maoist including Odisha to refrain from posting SPO as it is telling upon the efficiency and morale of the regular Police personnel. The Bureau of Police Research and Development working under the MHA, after meticulous survey in the Maoist-hit areas, has recommended to the ministry that the SPO not being trained are not aware of their legal limits and they often indulge in acts that tar the reputation of regular Policemen, demoralising them. It also creates negative impression on the police administration. The Police also become dependent on them leading to slow-down in their efficiency. Disapproving the way some states are bent upon posting increased numbers of SPOs, the Bureau has also recommended that they immediately refrain from such indiscriminate measures.

June 8: Odisha and Chhattisgarh Police have chalked out a strategy to launch a joint operation against the CPI-Maoist in the interstate border areas. ADG anti-Maoist operation and IG, Durg range, of Chhattisgarh held wide-ranging discussions for two days with their Odisha counterparts and other key officials on the matter in Bhubaneswar a few days ago, said sources. Both sides agreed on the need for undertaking joint operations in view of the extremists having opened a new front to cause violence in areas adjoining both states. "We did not feel this need earlier as Odisha's border with Chhattisgarh did not witness much Maoist activities," said a senior Odisha Police official. "So far we had engaged all our resources in other areas, including Malkangiri and Rayagada Districts bordering Andhra Pradesh, where the rebels had been wreaking havoc for years. But now that the Maoists have started creating trouble on the state's western side, we have started deploying Central and state forces to contain them. We have already deployed forces in strategic areas. More deployment is on the cards," the official said.

The State Government appealed for the withdrawal of cases against CPI-Maoist leader Ganti Prasad Rao and four other Maoists by filing two petitions in the SDJM courts in Koraput and Jeypore.

June 9: Cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed one person, identified as Hrushikesh Pradhan of Sonepur District, in Redhamal village in Nuapada District suspecting him to be a Police informer. However, Nuapada SP Rajesh Pandit claimed that Hrusikesh was with the Maoists for sometime and had left them. "Hrusikesh went missing on June 6. There is missing report lodged with Ulunda Police Station. Maoists picked him from his village on some pretext, brought him to Nuapada and killed him", said the SP.

Three landmines planted by the Maoists were recovered during a combing operation conducted by the Police and the CRPF in the Saranda forest in Sundargarh District. The landmines, weighing five kilogram to 10 kilogram, were seized near Raidihi and Nuagaon in the forest, the Police said.

June 13: CPI-Maoist cadres killed one person, identified as Bhima Kabasi (24), in Malkangiri District, suspecting him to be a Police informer. The bullet-riddled body of Kabasi was found in a forest near Chintalwada village in the Kalimela area, ASP U. S. Das said. Kabasi and three others had been abducted from nearby Pitakonda village to an unknown place by armed Maoists in the night of June 11, he said. Three of them were set free on June 12, while Kabasi's body was found this morning (June 13). "The district is such that the police and the BSF, camping there for the anti-Maoist operation, cannot move without help of the informers. The policemen have been trying their best to protect the informers but the Maoists appear to be outsmarting them," said an officer.

A 16-year-old Maoist cadre, identified as Laxman Hansa, surrendered before the Police in Jajpur District. "Laxman Hansa of Baligotha village near Kalinga Nagar was active in Jajpur, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj and other areas since 2009. We suspect their involvement in a number of violent incidents," SP, Jajpur Deepak Kumar, said. Hansa along with other Maoists were Involved in planting of IED at Raighati in the Tomka Police Station area in the District in 2010. He along with other Maoists had also killed Tuna Behera and Kailas Mahanta at Palaspalli under Daitari Police Station in June 2010. Last year (2010), they also attacked Daitari Police Station and looted explosives from Talangi mines in December, 2010, said the Police Officer.

June 21: A woman cadre of the CPI-Maoist was killed during a gunbattle between the Police and the Maoists in Bajipali area on the foothills of Gandhamardan forests in Bolangir District, Police said. Personnel of elite anti-Maoist SOG were conducting combing operation in Bajipali forests under Khaparakhol police station when they were fired upon by the Maoists which led to the gun battle.

At least seven under trials escaped from a juvenile home at the Panposh area in Rourkela in Sundargarh District, police said. The inmates broke open the window and jumped out of the boundary wall of the home. All seven prisoners had been booked in Maoist related and armed act cases.

The district court of Koraput allowed the State Government to withdraw the cases against four Maoists, including top Maoist Ramakrishna's wife Kandula Sirisa alias Padma. The other three persons are Rosa Mandangi, Iswari and Gukul Kuldipia. "On direction of the state's Home department we had filed applications for withdrawal of cases against the Maoist quartet and the court has approved it," said public prosecutor Arun Kumar Padhi.

June 22: A cache of grenades and ammunition, pipes and wires have been recovered from a dense forest in Rayagada District. Altogether 64 rounds of 8 mm pistols, 56 grenades, 119 pipes and 5 metres of fuse wire, were recovered buried under the earth, at Raibiji forest in the Chandrapur Police Station limits, DIG, South-West Range, Soumendra Priyadarshi said. The arms were hidden by the CPI-Maoist cadres for future use, the DIG said.

A Maoist 'area commander' was arrested from near Saranda forest in Sundargarh District. The Police recovered an automatic 9 mm pistol, five live cartridges, posters, Maoist literatures and leaflets from Kunduru Luhar alias Golapa (25) of Bisra area, Rourkela SP Himanshu Lal said. Kunduru was the 'area commander' of the outfit at Digha area after death of Maoist commander Md Muslim, the SP said.

June 23: In a bid to respect the agreement between the interlocutor's from the CPI-Maoist side and State Government, Odisha Government decided to release another 153 persons languishing in various jails across the State. "We have taken a decision to withdraw cases against 153 tribals. Necessary instructions have already been issued to concerned government advocates. The process will be complete by the end of June", said Odisha Chief Secretary B.K Patnaik at Bhubaneswar.

June 25: The CPI-Maoist cadres killed a person by slitting his throat at a 'kangaroo court' in Koraput District, holding him guilty of passing on information to the Police. The body of the victim named Sapaura Sirika, who had been missing from his village since June 24, was found in a pool of blood at Kalam-Jhadipada chowk, about 90 kilometres from the District. Quoting a letter purportedly written by Maoists and found from the spot by villagers, Police said the Maoists claimed to have punished him at a 'Kangaroo court' as he was a Police informer. Sirika was also held responsible for a Police-Maoist encounter that took place in a dense forest in Narayanpatna area last year [2010].

Four CPI-Maoist cadres including two women cadres surrendered in front of SP Deepak Kumar in Jajpur District. All the surrendered Maoists have been identified as Suru alias Usha Palea (20), Laxmi alias Sambari Hessa (20) Bikram alias Jaysingh Gagarai (20) and Ramesh Gagarai (18) of Baligotha village under Kalinga Nagar Police Station of Jajpur District, the SP said.

June 28: The CPI-Maoist alleged that the Odisha Government and the Centre had violated norms of the Union Environment ministry for the Posco project and expressed solidarity with those agitating against it. "Fact finding by the Saxena committee and the Meena Gupta committee has proved the existence of forest rights. But the FRA (Forest Rights Act) is not implemented by the state government in the area," a press release by Maoists national spokesperson Abhay, on behalf of its Central Committee said. "CPI (Maoist) hails the people of Orissa who are determined to stop the much-touted 52,000 crore 'biggest foreign direct investment' in India and declares its full support and solidarity for them," it said.

The Maoists gave a call for Odisha bandh on June 30 over what it calls the forcible land acquisition and a host of other issues.

June 30: Intelligence reports speak of a possibility of CPI-Maoist cadres establishing Orissa-Chhattisgarh corridor. Raigarh SP, Rahul Sharma, said, "The Maoists are trying to set up a corridor to move freely between Bastar [South Chhattisgarh] and the Districts of Raigarh and Mahasamund via Bargarh in Orissa. However, better connectivity, roads and infrastructure in Raigarh [compared to Bastar] will make it difficult to expand [Maoist] operations here." He said the Maoists had been working on the "corridor" for some time now.

Sources said the Maoists had recently formed a Bargarh-Mahasamund Divisional Committee that reports to the larger DKSZC. With operations in Chhattisgarh's five Southern Districts and parts of the Gadchiroli District in Maharashtra, the DKSZC is one of the most active Maoist divisions.

State Police interrogated top CPI-Maoist leader Bhagat, who surrendered before Andhra Pradesh Police on February 16.

A bandh called by Maoists in the State against land acquisition for Posco steel project evoked lukewarm response as normal life was affected to some extent only in southern region.

July 1: A 'deputy commander' of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Sunil, was killed in a gunfight with Security Forces near Pandapada village in Keonjhar District. Sunil was the second in command of the Kalinga Nagar division of the CPI-Maoist. A revolver, a locally made gun, some detonators and other camp articles were seized from the site. No causality or injury has been reported from the Police side.

Koraput District judge Ajit Kumar Patnaik freed Maoist leader Ganti Prasad Rao alias Prasadam accepting State Government's plea for withdrawal of case against him as promised for securing the release of former Malkangiri District Collector who was abducted in February 2011.

Several leaders of the AOBSZC of CPI-Maoist are planning to surrender, according to former Maoist leader K. Balaraju alias Bhagat in Malkangiri.

July 4: Cadres of the CPI-Maoist trigged two IEDs blowing up railway tracks between Rengada and Roxy stations of Sundargarh District during a 24-hour bandh observed by them. Jharkhand Regional Committee (JRC) of Maoists called the bandh to protest the arrest of Maoists from Saranda forest last week, whom the Maoists said, were innocent villagers but were arrested by the security forces and were falsely implicated.

Two Maoists were arrested and a huge quantity of explosives and weapons seized from them from a forest in Keonjhar District. While one of Maoists Trilochan Mahanta functioned as a messenger for top Maoist leader Sushil alias Basanta, the other named Laxman was an active cadre of Kalinganagar division of the CPI-Maoist. They were arrested during a joint combing operation in Khajuridani forest in Telkoi area. Huge quantities of explosives, two rifles, ammunitions, Maoist literature, uniform and medicines were seized from the two Maoists.

A woman 'deputy commander', Arati Patra alias Rita (20), of the CPI-Maoist surrendered before the Police in Gajapati District.

Maoists set ablaze a porcelain machine used in canal construction work in Malkangiri District. No injury or casualty was reported in the incident, the Police said. According to sources, a group of about 20 Maoists reached near Malkangiri Poteru Village (MPV) 77 village under MV 79 Police limits at around 10 pm and set the vehicle on fire. The Maoists had earlier threatened the contractor engaged with the work not to go ahead with the project, the sources said, adding stalling the work was apparently aimed at preventing SFs from moving into areas under Naxal control. The Maoists, however, alleged in a letter that officials concerned are siphoning off huge sums of money in the name of repair of canals in the District, sources added.

Three Maoists reportedly involved in the killing of SF personnel and many crimes were arrested from Jajpur and Keonjhar District. "In a joint combing operation by Jajpur and Keonjhar police arrested three Maoists. Police also seized two guns from them. All the three arrested Maoists have been identified as Gora Hansada (24) of village Rangamatia, Shyamasundar Bakse (24) of village Rangamatia and Ramachandra Hemrum (22) of Chandipasi village. Gora Hansada was arrested from Jajpur Road and the other two from Ghasipura police station area of Keonjhar district ", SP Deepak Kumar said.

A local court allowed Odisha Government to withdraw at least three cases against 42 activists of Maoist-backed CMAS, including its president Nachika Linga. The order was passed by the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) court at Laxmipur. According to sources, of the 42 persons against whom cases were withdrawn, 12 persons, including Linga, were accused of destroying a home at Podapodar village in 2009 while 30 others had been booked for their alleged involvement in attacking one Debar Sagar and a liquor shop at Laxmipur in 2008 and 2009 respectively.

July 5: Two SF Personnel were injured when three landmines planted by CPI-Maoist cadres exploded during a combing operation in Sonepur Ghati forest of Daringbadi area in Kandhamal District. Two claymore mines were also recovered from the site.

CPI-Maoist cadres abducted five villagers, including one former Maoist, who was about to surrender before the Police from Potteru village under Kalimela block of Motu Police limits in Malkangiri District. More than 200 Maoists divided in two groups arrived at Potteru village in the midnight and held a public meeting at the outskirt of the village where the Maoist leaders flayed the Naveen Pattnaik Government for not addressing the people's issues and anti-people policy, one eyewitness said. Later, one group of the Maoists entered into the village and abducted Suresh Bandami, Bandami Nala, Madkami Jaga, Bandami Mukta and Bandami Suba at the gun point from their houses alleging them as Police informers. Bandami Suba, a former Maoist of Motu Dalam was in contact with the District Police officials to surrender at any time, SP Anirudha Singh said.

Another group of armed Maoist cadres assembled in the village, simultaneously carried out an hour long operation by looting the houses and decamped with valuables and household items, of SPO Rama Chandra Madkami, who is now undergoing training in Angul, and two other village headmen, Madkami Masa and Madkami Rama of the village in the District.

July 7: Four persons were killed by the CPI-Maoist cadres in two separate incidents in Rayagada and Koraput Districts. Kailash Majhi, of Godibali village, and Shashi Majhi, of Dhobasil village, of Godibali Panchayat of Kashipur Block in Rayagada District were shot dead by around 50 armed Maoists of the Kashipur-Niyamgiri Area Committee, reportedly for being Police informers. The Maoists posters left behind demanded that anti-Maoist operations be stopped, and wanted the State and Central Governments as well as Vedanta Alumina Limited to drop their plans to mine the Niyamgiri hills.

The Maoists killed Balaji Takri, a constable of Machkund Police Station and Binod Khemundu, a Home Guard, both residents of Koraput Town, while they were on their way back from Anakadeli weekly market to Machkund.

July 8: CPI-Maoist cadres killed one person, identified as Bandami Suba, a former Maoist cadre planning to surrender before the Police in Malkangiri District. A poster recovered from the body said that Suba was killed for working as an informer to the Police. Malkangiri SP, Anirudh Singh confirmed the killing of Suba. According to him it was an effort of the Maoists to terrorise disillusioned Maoist cadres who were planning to surrender before the Police and start normal life.

Suba was among five persons abducted at gun point by the Maoists from Potteru village in the MV-79 Police Station limits in the night of July 5. Maoists released three of the abducted persons on July 7. However, the Police are yet to ascertain about the fate of Suresh Bandami, a contractor, who was also abducted by the Maoists.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik condemned the incident in Bhubaneswar and said that stringent action would be taken against the culprits involved in the "terrible" crimes.

The Komna Police arrested a teacher, identified as Kaliram Suar (22), of Sunabeda village under Sunabeda panchayat for suspected link with the CPI-Maoist cadres in Nuapada District. Suar was working as a contractual teacher engaged by Chakutia Bhunjia Development Agency (CBDA) since 2008 in Salepada TRW Girl's Middle English School in Sunabeda panchayat.

July 9: Traffic was hit between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh for a road blockade put up by CPI-Maoist at Almonda within Bandhugaon Police limits in Koraput District. The Maoists had obstructed traffic by felling trees near Almonda on the border road which connects Koraput with Parvatipuram in Andhra Pradesh. Sources said, the Maoists through posters put up near the blockade have demanded the withdrawal of Paramilitary Forces from the area and to observe protest week from July 4 to 10.

Five Police Home Guards submitted their resignations fearing attack by CPI-Maoist in the District. Rabindranath Sahu, one of the home guards, said they had no choice but to resign because they do not want to die. The development comes two days after the rebels killed a home guard and a constable of Macchkund Police Station near Ankadeli village. "Fearing a threat to their lives, the five home guards submitted their resignations to me," ASI Hare Krishna Mallik said. Through posters and leaflets, Maoists have asked the home guards and other Policemen of the region to quit their jobs if they want to stay alive.

State Chief Secretary, Bijay Patnaik said the SPO issue would be examined in the backdrop of the judgment. "We will examine the Supreme Court order to see whether or not it is applicable for Odisha. There is a degree of difference between SPOs in Odisha and Chhattisgarh. The SPOs in Odisha would be appointed as constables in the future," Patnaik said.

A State Government official pointed out the Government not only issued advertisements for the recruitment of SPOs, but in order to give a chance to local tribals to get jobs in their own areas, changed the guidelines for recruitment of Security Forces, reducing the minimum qualification to 8th standard and the standard height from 163 cm to 160 cm. "Earlier though local tribals were recruited as constables, there still remained a big gap in employment needs and opportunities for these people, owing to their educational and economic disadvantages," a Government official said. "Odisha Government spends Rs 30 crore [INR 300 million] on them per annum," the officer said.

July 10: Separately, the State Government has decided to include all the blocks in the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) by the end of the Twelfth Five Year Plan. The decision was taken at a meeting presided over by CM Naveen Patnaik in Bhubaneswar on July 8. Odisha is the first State in the country to launch the NRLM. The programme will be taken up initially in the Naxalite-affected Districts and later extended to other areas. It was decided that blocks in which Western Orissa Rural Livelihood Project (WORLP) and Odisha Tribal Empowerment and Livelihoods Programme (OTELP) are being implemented will be included in the Mission scheme in the first phase.

The CM also reviewed the implementation of the Targeted Rural Initiatives for Poverty Termination (TRIPTI) scheme. Out of 1,020 gram panchayats, in which the TRIPTI programme will be implemented, identification of beneficiaries and livelihood programmes have been finalised in 710 gram panchayats.

The Berhampur Police recovered a 9 mm pistol from one arrestee identified as Sunil Pradhan (32) of Kumbharbadi in Daringibadi Police Station in Kandhamal District, reported to be earlier looted by Maoists from Ranjan Mallick, the then inspector in-charge of R Udayagiri Police Station in Gajapati District in 2006.

July 10: The Police arrested two persons, identified as Udhab Mallick and Kandura Pradhan, for having links with the Maoists in Kandhamal District. The Police recovered two country made guns and Maoist posters from them. "We arrested the two after getting sufficient evidence on their links with the Maoists," said a senior Police Officer when the residents of Sonepur in Daringibadi block accused the Police of arresting the duo by implicating them as Maoists. The residents urged the District administration to release the two "innocent villagers" and halt combing operations in the area.

Odisha Government said new strategy will be chalked out soon to counter the Maoists. "We are working on to chalk out strategy to counter the red rebel soon", said Odisha Chief Secretary B.K Patnaik. "District Voluntary Force (DVF) and elite anti-naxal Special Operation Group (SOG) are working in tandem to face the challenges," Patnaik added. On a question on the soft attitude of the Government towards the Maoists for which the series of killings of the innocents is continuing, Patnaik said, "They breached the agreement with the Government. The State cannot allow the situation for more time."

July 11: Dhirendra Pallai, acting president of UAC, a pro-Posco organization, lodged a FIR with Kujang Police Station in Jagatsinghpur District on receiving threat letters from the CPI-Maoist. The Maoists have asked them to oppose the land acquisition and project related work in the Posco steel plant project area. "UAC activists are feeling unsafe. Through the FIR, security cover has been sought for those in the forefront of the organisation. Apart from Pallai, member of the Nuagaon Panchayat Samity Soumendra Nayak, sarpanch of the Gadakujang gram panchayat Nakul Sahu and UAC member Jiban Lal Behera have also received threat letters," said Nirvay Samantaray, General Secretary of the UAC.

Traffic between Odisha and the border town of Parvathipuram in Andhra Pradesh remained stalled for the third day due to a Maoist road blockade near Almonda in Bandhugaon block. The Maoists are demanding the withdrawal of Paramilitary Forces from the area and observed a protest week from July 4 to 10 to achieve the same purpose.

CPI-Maoist cadres issued threat letters and threats over telephone to two businessmen of Lahunipada and Koida in Sundargarh District. The businessman of Lahunipada has received a letter asking him to pay INR 200, 000 while a crusher unit owner of Koida has received a call asking him to pay rupees INR 500, 000 as extortion. Both the businessmen were warned of severe action if they informed the Police.

Posters were recovered from road-side trees of National Highway 215 and in Jamdih, Renjeda, Toda villages under K Balang and Koida Police limits of the District. The posters, written in Hindi, carrying anti-Government slogans alleged Police action against tribal villagers in Chhattisgarh and Odisha, the Police said. The Maoists of Chhotanagpur zonal committee had strongly opposed anti-Maoist operation in Chhattisgarh.

July 12: Suba Bandami, who was abducted by the CPI-Maoist cadres along with five others from Potteru village under Malkangiri village (MV)-79 Police limits on July 5, was set free near a forest, some 20 kilometres from Potteru village in Malkangiri District. The Maoist cadres have reportedly set Suba free on conditions that will not have any kind of relationship with the Police in future, sources said.

Rabi Jani, a Home Guard of Macchkund Police Station in the District resigned from his post fearing Maoist attack, taking the number of resigned Home Guard to six. Police said after the resignation of Jani, the Macchkund Police Station is without any Home Guard.

July 15: Thirty-one members of CPI-Maoist-backed CMAS of Narayanpatna in Koraput District were acquitted in a case by the Fast Track Court of Jeypore. They were acquitted due to lack of evidence against them. They were alleged to have got involved in arson and rioting at Podapodar in 2009.

July 16: The SOG and DVF jointly raided a village and arrested a Maoist, identified as Gangadhar Madhi (19), from the Idikonda forest area under Motu Police limits in Malkangiri District. Gangadhar was involved in the recent abduction of the five villagers and looting in Potteru village in the District. He was supplying food & other materials to the Maoist cadres for the past one year, Malkangiri Police said.

July 17: SF personnel recovered a dump consisting of three landmines, three claymore mines and a huge quantity of gelatine sticks during anti-Naxalite combing operation in Narayanpatna area of Koraput District. The recovery was made in the CPI-Maoist affected Patchangi area, DSP, Laxmipur, Y Jagannath Rao said. "The Maoists had planted the explosives targeting the SF personnel engaged in combing operation. No injury or casualty has been reported. The explosives were kept in steel containers," Rao added.

The Police officials arrested a cadre of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Kanhu Besra (24), from Barabati bazaar on national highway no-5 at Dharmasala in Jajpur District. Besra is a resident of Ambadali village in Mayurbhanj District. The Police recovered a revolver, a CRPF uniform, a sharp weapon, bullet cover, two mobile phones, some tablets and an identity card of Banda ITI of Rangamatia in Mayurbhanj District from him.

July 19: Three Maoist cadres, identified as Lengara Tiria alias Ramesh (18) Bela Purty alias Sunita (19) and Ladar Jamuda (20) of Baragotha village surrendered before the DIG (Western range) Y Jethwa and SP Ashish Kumar Singh in Keonjhar District. SP Singh said Bela was involved in attacks on the Police at Kaliapani and Nardangipentha, while Lengara participated in the Maoist attack on Chahala beat house inside Similipal forest and firing on the Police party at Champajhar in Mayurbhanj District. Ladar used to organize meetings in the bordering areas of Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj Districts and building Maoist network.

July 21: The Police arrested three cadres of the CPI-Maoist in Ghumusara division in Ganjam District. The three arrestees were identified as Rabindra Nayak alias Mallick alias Budha, Jaya Nayak alias Jacob and Biswamitra Pradhan alias Mila of Kerubadi under Daringibadi Police Station area in Kandhamal District. The Police said the arrested trios were involved in a dacoity at Asurabandha in the District, the murder of one Udaya Sahu murder case in Daringibadi and an ambush on Police near Kerubadi in Kandhamal District, in which a Policeman was killed. Jaya was threatened by the Maoists into joining their ranks. He was tasked with supplying food ration to the Maoists and felling trees during encounters with the Police in Kandhamal District.

SP, Ganjam, Rajesh Pandit said the trio also disclosed that Sabyasachi Panda alias Sunil, in charge of the Maoist organization in Odisha, was demoted recently because of allegations of sexual exploitation of female cadres against him. Now, a 55-year-old leader from outside Odisha had taken over charge, they told police. Police suspect the man might be one of the members of the Maoists' CWC.

Two women Maoist cadres, identified as Martha Majhi alias Minita (20) and Merry Majhi alias Kabita (18) of the Bansadhara divisional committee of the Maoists, surrendered before the Police in Gajapati District. They also made several allegations against their leaders Sabyasachi Panda, Duna Kesab Rao alias Azad, and Dandapani Mohanty, a mediator who had secured the release of the former Malkangiri R. Vineel Krishna from the custody of the Maoists. Minita belongs to Ludungi village in Mandimera gram panchayat and Kabita belongs to Lumdong village in Khariguda gram panchayat, both under Adaba Police Station limits in Gajapati. They alleged physical and mental exploitation of the female cadre, Gajapati SP Sarthak Sadangi said. "Their disclosure had led to recovery of arms and ammunition from three different places," said Sadangi. The Police raided Gerjong hills near Lumdong village, Putripada forest, and Purunapani forest. The Police recovered two eight-mm single-shot pistols, eight round ammunition, two SBML (country-made) guns, five clamour mines, one grenade, 10 electrical detonators, one kg explosive ammonium nitrate, three batteries, charger and polythene from the revealed places.

Security was tightened in Maoist infested areas of Odisha as Maoists martyrs' week begins from July 28 to August 3. Thousands of wall posters has been pasted in important junctions at Narayanpatna, Bandhugaon, Baipariguda, Lamtaput blocks of Koraput District, urging the people to join in PLGA and warned the SPOs appointed by the Government to quit their services and to get proper rehabilitation from their party.

July 23: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed a civilian in Narayanpatna area of Koraput District, suspecting him to be a Police informer. The victim, identified as Dilu Habika (35), was abducted by a group of armed Maoist cadres from his village, Pilibadi, and later his dead body was found with his throat slit, the Police said, adding handwritten posters left by the Maoists were found from the site.

The Police arrested sarpanch, Pradip Mallick of Hatimunda gram panchayat in Daringbadi block in Kandhamal District, on the charge of being a courier for the Maoists from Shanti Nagar area in Ganjam District. A four-page letter written by Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda to Dandapani Mohanty, one of the three mediators who negotiated with Maoists during the abduction of the then Malkangiri collector was seized from Mallick, SP (Berhampur) Shefeen Ahmed K said.

CPI-Maoist cadres killed a tribal youth in Narayanpatna block of Koraput District, suspecting him to be a Police informer. The victim was identified as Suka Nachika (25) of Upar Renga village. His hands and legs were tied up and his throat was slit with some sharp weapon. Maoists left handwritten letter near the body.

A CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Fakira Kiritinga (35), was arrested in Chandrapur area of Rayagada District. He was involved in several crimes including two murders and blasting of mobile towers, Police said.

A woman Maoist, identified as Jayanti Mahanta of Galada village under Telkoi block of Keonjhar District, surrendered before the Police in the District accusing her seniors of physical torture. While surrendering, she told reporters that she was imparted training in handling firearms, bombs and other explosives in Andhra Pradesh. She was involved in a number of offences, including attack on Similipal forest beat house in Mayurbhanj District, Police said.

The State Government decided to hand over building of a bridge to a State owned construction company after being unable to find a contractor in Maoist-hit Malkangiri District. The State Government had floated seven tenders for the 900 meter bridge at Gurupriya but contractors did not respond out of fear of Maoists, Works Secretary S. K. Ray said.

July 24: The Police arrested four alleged Maoists, including two women, near Paikmal at Amarpali on State Highway-3 in Bargarh District. Another Maoist in the group, however, managed to escape, the Police added. Three of the arrestees belonged to Kanker District in Chhattisgarh and were identified as Anil Kumar alias Azad (25) of Kasadand village, Rambati Usendi (20) of Alpara village and Shambati Dubba of Bhimnar. The fourth, Makunda Naik (27), was a resident of Rajapada village under Padampur Police Station area in Bargarh. The Police said one country-made pistol and six bullets, letters addressed to commander, meeting proceedings, two Tiffin bombs, two detonators, route maps of Burla town, cash of INR 1,350, some eatables, some leaflets in Hindi and Oriya languages, books written in Oriya relating to activities of Maoists were recovered from them.

July 27: Maoists killed two persons in Niyamgiri hill area of the State. One killing occurred in Muniguda Police Station area of Rayagada District, while the other person was killed in Lanjigarh area of adjoining Kalahandi District. According to sources, Maoists termed both of them agents of Police and Vedanta Alumina Limited (VAL). The victim in Rayagada district was Dadhi Sikaka, a youth from Ambadhuni village. Maoists abducted him and his brother Lakshman Sikaka. Lakshman was ruthlessly beaten up and released. Body of the other victim Ajit Patnaik was found in a pool of blood near Ijirupa jungle on the Niyamgiri foothill in Kalahandi District.

The Maoist leadership has sent some key leaders to Andhra-Odisha Border (AOB) from Chhattisgarh to strengthen the party and lift the morale of the cadres in AOB. Gajarla Ashok alias Ranganna alias Janardhan alias Aitu was assigned with the crucial responsibility of revival of the party in AOB by the central leadership. In-charge of South Bastar division in Dandakaranya special zonal committee (DKSZC), Aitu is a master strategist in military warfare.

About 25 kilograms of explosives planted by Maoists was recovered at Laxmipur in Koraput District by SFs. The recovery was made ahead of the 'martyrs' week' planned by the Maoists from July 28.

July 31: Maoists beheaded a man in Brahmanigaon area of Kandhamal District. The headless body was found near Saragudi village, which was identified by the villagers as Dakasa Majhi of the same village.

About 100 Maoists attacked and ransacked a Government approved foreign liquor shop at Padia village under Kalimela Police Station in Malkangiri District. This was the fourth attack by the Maoists on the same shop. After damaging the shop and stock, the Maoists targeted and ransacked the house of a villager who was selling foreign liquor illegally.

August 1: Financial assistance of INR 10,000 was provided to surrendered woman Maoist Susila Jilakara alias Puspa in Koraput under Government's surrender policy meant for the Maoists in the State. Puspa, wife of top Maoist leader Chandra Bhusanam alias Ghasi, had laid down arms before Koraput Police on April 26. Ghasi had been arrested on April 6. The Andhra Pradesh Government had announced a cash award of INR one million and INR 200,000 on Ghasi and Puspa respectively.

The Maoist leadership has been expanding the DKSZC's role to AOB zone. If sources are to be believed, the Maoist central leadership brought a new division in AOB, which was formed a year ago, under the ambit of DKSZC. With the entry of Bonda Gupteswar or Bonda Ghati group, DKSZC has at present 10 divisions. The sources said Maoists are adopting new strategies and restructuring organisational ranks in AOB to gain an upper hand in their fight against security forces.

August 3: This year, during the 'martyr's week (July 28 - August 3), the CPI-Maoist reportedly showed video programme to tribal villagers highlighting 'heroic' deeds of cadres who lost their lives fighting the Police. In some villages, the Maoists used projectors and mega screens to show video recordings of important Maoist incidents. If sources are to be believed, some leaders of central committee of Andhra-Orissa Border Special Zonal Committee of the outfit are overseeing the whole arrangements. The Maoists have reportedly inducted more than 500 tribals into their fold during the week that saw vehicular traffic between Malkangiri and Jeypore being hit. Sources said in order to avoid being intercepted by police and intelligence agencies, Maoist cadres have begun communicating with high frequency (HF) radio waves which the security forces are finding hard to 'tap'.

The Centre asked Odisha if it was promulgating an ordinance on the lines of Chhattisgarh to make SPOs part of the State Police force.

August 4: Maoists killed two persons in Jubaguda village under Kotagada Police Station in Kandhamal District, suspecting them to be Police informers. The victims have been identified as Peter Mallick (38) and Sitaram Uthansingh. While the body of Peter was found with his throat slit, that of Sitaram had gunshot.

August 8: Five cadres of the CPI-Maoist, including two women, were arrested by SFs from Madikeda village under Kotagad Police Station limits in Kandhamal District. According to Kandhamal SP Jayanarayan Pankaj, the arrested persons were involved in the murder of Sitaram Uthansingh and Peter Sunamajhi at Jubaguda village on August 4. They were tracked down as per the statement of an eyewitness of the murders. The arrested persons were identified as Tripati Kapat Majhi (23), Andrew Mallik (24), Sebastian Mallik (45) and two women Radhika Mallik (19) and Lurdu Patamajhi (19). SFs seized a large amount of explosive material, battery and wire used to detonate landmines, Maoist banners and posters from their possession.

August 9: The State Government sounded alert in all Districts with special instruction to those Maoist-hit ones, as the CPI-Maoist preparing to observe Kranti Diwas, to avert any law and order problem, official sources said.

SFs arrested two persons identified as, Herat Digal and Sudhansu Sekhar Nayak, at Gracingia village under G.Udaygiri Police Station for alleged links with the Maoists. One pistol, one revolver, six cartridges, and four live bombs were among the items seized from their possession. One Maoist uniform was also seized from them. Pankaj said investigation was on to ascertain the activities of these two arrested persons.

The Bandhugaon-faction of the CMAS organised rally and public meeting in Koraput District against Maoist violence. It was commemoration of the first death anniversary of tribal leader Kenduka Arjun, who was murdered by Maoists on Aug 10, 2010 at Katulpeta in Bandhugaon block.

August 10: Three CPI-Maoist cadres - a father and his two daughters - surrendered before Police in Rayagada District. They were identified as Mina Palaka and his daughters - Laxmi Palaka (18) and Saraswati Palaka (16), residents of Kalipeta village under Chandrapur block of the District. Mina was an 'area commander' of Bansadhara division of the CPI-Maoist. Mina was a close associate of Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda. He also used to work with Maoist leader Azad alias Dona Keshava Rao. Mina and his daughters were involved in several cases in Rayagada and Kandhamal Districts.

Chief Secretary B. K. Patnaik said that SPOs appointed in the State would be recruited as Police constables after completing three years of service, for which amendments in recruitment rules would be made. The State Government had initially appointed tribal youths as SPOs to give them an opportunity to remain in the mainstream instead of joining the Maoist brigade, he said. Altogether 4,500 youths have so far been appointed as SPOs in the State and the Government was not averse to recruiting more under the scheme, he added.

August 11: A CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Tuna Pradhan, was arrested and forwarded to court by the personnel of G. Udayagiri Police Station in Kandhamal District. He is a resident of Sakdai village in the limits of the Police Station. Interrogation revealed that he was trained in arms use by Maoists in 2009. The arrested Maoist was involved in bomb making, recruitment of gullible youths and provision of logistics to the Maoists, claimed Police.

The Police arrested a senior CPI-Maoist 'commander', along with two of his colleagues from the steel city of Rourkela. The Maoist 'commander' was identified as Prashant alias Shiva Munda alias Lambu, the second top man in the Maoist hierarchy controlling Saranda forest. The trio was trying to board a bus to Bhubaneswar near Hanuman Vatika in the city when the Police team intercepted them. Police recovered INR 7.6 million in cash and a gun from them.

August 14: A group of armed cadres of the CPI-Maoist shot dead a leader of the BJD, identified as Kishore Panda of Telenpali village, in Khaparakhol area of Bolangir District. According to Police, the Maoists arrived at Panda's house at around 9:00 pm and asked him to accompany them. Later, they shot him dead and dumped the body on the spot at one end of the village.

SFs and Maoists exchanged fire in Singabaram forest under Kelimela Police Station in Malkangiri District and Police claimed that some of the Maoists had sustained injuries. The encounter ensued when SOG and DVF jointly conducted raid in the area following a tip-off about the presence of a large number of Maoists.

Seeking concrete steps to properly implement various welfare schemes in villages, Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh said the Maoist menace can be fought with rural development. "Rural development is the answer to fight Naxalism. It will improve the living standard of the people living in villages," Ramesh told reporters during a visit to the tribal-dominated and Maoist-hit Kandhamal District. Earlier Ramesh said the problem of LWE in Odisha is not as bad as in Chhattisgarh. Odisha is at the borderline, Ramesh said, adding that the situation can be salvaged if there is sensitive and effective administration in the State.

August 15: Cadres of the CPI-Maoist triggered a claymore mine blast at Jogipallur, eight kilometres from Narayanpatna block in Koraput District, as a team of BSF and SOG Police was about to clear a road that was cut off few days earlier. However, none of the SF personnel were injured.

SFs and the Maoists exchanged fire for more than one hour at Sapamunda in Bolangir District. Unconfirmed sources said at least two Maoists were killed and several others were injured in the exchange of bullets. SFs confronted with dozens of Maoists at Sapamunda, a fringe area of Sunabeda Sanctuary, while they were conducting search operation following the killing of a Biju Janata Dal Leader Raj Kishore Panda in the evening of August 14.

Maoists unfurled black flags in Koraput and Malkangiri Districts. Black flags and posters were found in Ramgiri, Lamtaput and Baipariguda areas of Naxal-hit Koraput District and Kalimela area of Malkangiri District. Road communication between Berhampur in Ganjam District and Daringibadi in Kandhamal District were disrupted due to road blockade set up by the Maoists in at least three places. The road blockades were put by felling trees at Kalama, Sarapanka and Dhaugaon villages under Sorada block by logs.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik called upon the Maoists to shun violence and join the mainstream. "We believe in peace. Peace is necessary for development. Development cannot be achieved through violence," Patnaik said after unfurling national flag on the 65th Independence Day in State capital Bhubaneswar. "I appeal to the left-wing extremists to shun violence and join the mainstream," Patnaik said. He also highlighted various programmes his Government has initiated for the overall development of the State.

August 17: Twenty-five members of the CPI-Maoist-backed CMAS were acquitted by Additional District Judge court of Jeypore in Koraput District, in the case of a murder that occurred in 2008. It was alleged that Maoists along with CMAS activists were behind the murder. But the prosecution could not furnish evidences against the accused persons and all of them got acquitted due to lack of evidence against them.

August 18: The State has decided to up the ante against the CPI-Maoist with intensified combing throughout the State. Sources said the Government had stepped up its anti-Maoist drive after the arrest of three Maoists, including a top-level 'commander', from Rourkela on August 11 as they were trying to flee the stepped up combing in Saranda forests on the Odisha-Jharkhand border.

Two CPI-Maoist cadres and two sympathizers were arrested from Daringibadi area in Kandhamal District. They were identified as Kapil Pradhan, Prakash Pradhan, Jitendra Pradhan and Dharmendra Pradhan. Police have seized INR 100,000 in cash, leaflets and posters relating to Maoists from them.

August 19: K V Singhdeo, the sitting MLA of Patnagarh constituency, is under threat from the CPI-Maoist. The former minister in a letter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on July 30 wrote that he received a telephone call from one Pratap Reddy, identifying himself as a Maoist leader. The caller said he was camping at Sanjabanjipali and wanted "food grain and money". "I was also informed that my life is under threat. I immediately reported the details of this call to Patnagarh police," Singhdeo said in his letter.

August 21: The District is on high alert amidst reports of hundreds of Maoists having entered the District from the neighbouring Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.

August 23: Some CPI-Maoist leaders from Bihar have made inroads into Kandhamal District of Odisha with some suspected nefarious intentions. Interrogation of four Maoists arrested in Kandhamal District has revealed this, Police said. According to Kandhamal SP Jayanarayan Pankaj it has been found that a senior Maoist cadre from Bihar named Rahim along with his wife has entered the District.

August 24: An exchange of fire occurred between SFs and the CPI-Maoist cadres following intelligence inputs that a group of Maoists have assembled at Kanchanpadu forests in Narayanpatna block of Koraput District. SFs neutralised a major transit camp of Maoists hidden inside the forest between Kanchanpadu and Rangampadu on Narayanpatna-Bandhugaon road. According to Koraput SP Anup Sahu, the exchange of fire occurred during a joint combing operation by the personnel of BSF and State Police. However, there was no casualty or injury on either side, the Police said. One Self Loading Rifle (SLR), one 9 mm gun, ammunition including magazine of light machine gun, 15 kit bags of ultras, Maoist literature, and medicines were recovered by the Police. It was suspected that around 60 cadres were camping in the Maoist camp.

August 27: Narayanpatna area in Koraput District is slowly getting out of clutches of the CPI-Maoist, feel the Police officials monitoring security in the area. One of the major hints is that the supporters of the Maoist-backed CMAS who are getting acquitted in cases pending against them are no more showing interest to be part of violent activities of the CMAS at the instigation of Maoists, said a senior Police official. Further, attendance in CMAS rallies is constantly decreasing, claimed the official.

Two CPI-Maoist cadres, including a teenage girl surrendered before Police in Jajpur District. Tukuna Badara alias Rakesh (20) and Suturi Jamuda alias Madhuri (15) surrendered without arms, SP Deepak Kumar said. The duo was active in Jajpur, Dhenkanal and Keonjhar Districts since 2009. They were also suspected of being involved in a blast at Dozer Padia under Kalinga Nagar area in 2010, he said.

August 30: The killing of Raj Kishore Panda, local BJD leader by CPI-Maoist cadres at Telenpali in Bolangir District on August 14 slowed down developmental work in the area as panicked villagers were not venturing out. "Fear-struck people in the area cannot muster courage to venture out after sunset. Developmental work undertaken by the Government under various schemes have come to a standstill," Bipra Charan Bisi, Sarpanch of Telenpali gram panchayat said. Assistant engineer of Khaparakhol block Manoj Kumar Behera said work in at least three projects involving an expenditure of INR 1.75 million under IAP which had already commenced remained suspended as people stopped coming to work.

Two teenaged women CPI-Maoist cadres, identified as Jamba Nachika alias Rina (18) and Tarai Mandingi (16), from Narayanpatna block of Koraput District surrendered before DIG of Police, south-west range, Soumendra Priyadarshi in Koraput District. Rina hailed from Taladekapadu village while Tarai was from Gumbharipur. Both of them were mostly active with the Jana Natya Mandali of Andhra-Odisha Border Committee of the CPI-Maoist. They worked under the Koraput-Srikakulam division of the Maoists.

September 2: Five CPI-Maoist cadres including three from neighbouring Jharkhand surrendered before Police with arms and ammunition at Rourkela in Sundargarh District. The arms surrendered included two 303 rifles, one 9mm pistol with ammunition, 100 round of 303 bullets, two pairs of Maoist combat fatigues, one Motorola wireless set, caps and ammunition pouches. Rourkela SP Himanshu said the surrendered cadres were active members of platoon-22 of Chhotanagpur Division operating in the Saranda forest. They were involved in a number of crimes in Odisha and Jharkhand. The cadre said they surrendered because they were not happy with the ideology of the Maoist organisation.

September 3: The CPI-Maoist cadres killed Purna Chandra Dalai (52), a local BJP leader, also a contractor by profession, whom they suspected of being a Police informer, in Malkangiri District. According to Police, more than half a dozen Maoist cadres took Dalai from his house near Chitrakonda to an isolated place and gunned him down, SP Anirudh Singh said. However, sources said extortion bid was suspected to be the reason behind the killing.

Maoist commander of Udanti-Raighar-Sinapali border area committee, operating in Odisha-Chhattisgarh border, Laxmidhar Nayak alias Gundadhul surrendered before the SP Niti Sekhar in Nabarangpur District. Laxmidhar was very close to Kartik, Lalita and Jani Salm, all active members of Manpur Divisional Committee of Chhattisgarh. All the operations by Maoists in Nabarangpur and Nuapada Districts were being executed by this area committee of which Laxmidhar was the commander, the Police said.

September 7: The success of the intensified anti-CPI-Maoist drive in the Saranda forests in Jharkhand bordering Odisha has prompted the State Government to plan similar operations at other Maoist bastions in the State. Sources said the Saranda model of flushing out Maoists holed up in dense forests would be replicated in Districts such as Malkangiri and Koraput which share borders with Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. As in the case of Saranda, where the troopers of Odisha and Jharkhand have joined hands in the anti-Maoist drive, help from Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh would be sought for similar joint initiatives in Koraput and Malkangiri where the Maoists appear to have entrenched themselves taking advantage of difficult terrain.

September 9: Suspecting them to be Police informers, CPI-Maoist cadres killed two persons, including a contractor by slitting their throats in Narayanpatna block of Koraput District. According to the Police, the Maoists belonging to the Srikakulam-Koraput division had picked up seven tribals from Borigi and Nangelbeda villages three days ago. Of them, M Shankar (31) and P Santosh (22) were killed after the Maoists held a Kangaroo court at Borigi village. They left a note in Telugu alleging that these two men were informers. They also said that Santosh has brought a tractor recently with the money given to him by Police. They released the remaining five tribals.

September 19: About 15 to 20 CPI-Maoist cadres dragged Narayana Duan (33), a forest guard, from Jaipur village and killed him in a nearby area, located in the foothills of Gandhamardan hill under Boden Police Station in Bargarh District. The body was found with hands tied behind the back. A letter left by the Maoists stated that Duan was a Police informer for which he has been punished.

The Grey Hounds of Andhra Pradesh and Special Operations Group of Odisha exchanged fire with Maoist cadres in the remote forest area of Musilimunda of Narayanpatna block in Koraput District. According to sources, though Koraput Police are not confirming the encounter, at least three persons were injured in the gun battle on either side which lasted for about two hours.

September 21: Odisha Special Police recovered landmines and kit bags belonging to the CPI-Maoist in the Narayanpatna block in Koraput District. Earlier, the Maoists had exchanged fire with the Andhra Greyhounds and Special Operations Group Forces of Odisha on September 20. After the incident, Andhra and Odisha Police conducted an aerial survey. Additional Security Forces have been deployed to prevent any violence in the Andhra-Odisha border as Maoists celebrated their formation day.

September 23: An exchange of fire took place between the SFs and CPI-Maoist cadres near Kerubadi in Daringbadi block of Kandhamal District when the SFs raided a Maoist training camp inside the forests near Kerubadi. No casualty was reported from either side. "But, from the evidence found at the site we suspect there must have been some injury or casualty on the Maoist side," DIG Sharma said adding, about 50 Maoists were suspected to have stayed in the camp during the operation. Five firearms, a number of kitbags, important documents, and other camp articles were recovered from the camp site.

The Ministry of Labour and Employment has approved the State Government's plan for establishment of five ITIs and ten SDCs in five LWE-affected Districts of the State. The Districts are Gajapati, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Deogarh and Sambalpur.

September 24: Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed Jagabandhu Majhi (39), a BJD MLA representing Umerkote assembly constituency and his PSO Prasanta Kumar Patra (25) at Gonahatapadar village under Raighar Police Station in Nabarangpur District. Reports said the MLA had gone to the village to attend a function to distribute land records to village beneficiaries. "It might be a Maoist attack. The area falls in a Maoist belt," Umerkote SDPO Ashok Sahu said. Earlier, Majhi was attacked by the Maoists during an election campaign on March 14, 2004. He suffered serious injuries to his spinal cord and since then moved around in a wheelchair. Also in 2010, he survived another attempt when bombs hurled at his car missed him.

September 25: A cadre of the CPI-Maoist identified as Rama Mahanta alias Dadhi Mahanta was arrested from Jarbera village at Bisra in Sundargarh District. A pistol and some bullets were recovered from his possession. According to the Police, Mahanta was involved in the killing of surrendered Maoist, Kandari Lohra alias Madhuri and her four-year-old son in February 2011. Mahanta was acting as 'area Commander' in Digha and Bhalulata areas and he has five cases pending at the bordering Bisra and Bandamunda Police Station in Sundargarh District.

September 27: The CPI-Maoist cadres killed one person identified as Mishra Khosla (35) on the suspicion of being a Police informer in Narayanpatna block of Koraput District. The body of Khosla was lying near Mankidi in the Narayanpatna Police Station area with his throat slit. The Maoists also set ablaze two vehicles managed by Khosla. Police recovered a letter written by Maoist leader Daya in Telugu near the body stating "Khosla was supplying information against Maoists to police. Anyone who helps police will meet a similar fate."

September 30: Two CPI-Maoist cadres were arrested during a combing operation in Rayagada District. The arrested cadres were identified as Rabi Majhi and Das Majhi of Godibali village within Kashipur block. "We were tipped-off about the presence of two Maoists at their homes and decided to nab them. There was no exchange of fire and no arms have been recovered from the arrested extremists," ASP Prasant Kumar Bhoi said. The arrestees were part of the newly-created Kashipur dalam of the CPI-Maoist and were involved in a series of Maoist offensives. "They had joined the Maoists few years ago and were armed cadres. They used to organize meetings and provide logistics support to the extremists, apart from taking part in Maoist offensives," the ASP added.

October 5: The CPI-Maoist is on a recruitment spree in Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada and Nabarangpur Districts. The recruitment drive comes in the wake of a series of reverses the Maoist have suffered in the last few months leading to depletion of their cadre strength.

October 9: SFs comprising CRPF and elite anti-Naxal SOG personnel neutralised a CPI-Maoist camp near Gaigot-Kuleijharan hills, under Kisinda Police limits, in Sambalpur District, following a fierce gun battle with the Maoists. There were no casualties in the encounter but SFs recovered three tiffin bombs, some other explosives, food, uniforms and medicines from the camp. "We have had information about Maoist activity in the area for the past one-and-a-half months. The rebels are trying hard to revive their base in Sambalpur and Deogarh districts under the leadership of Guirish Mahto and Kunu Dehuri," said Sambalpur SP Nikhil Kanodia.

The Police arrested two supporters of Maoists identified as Nirakant Pradhan of Kerubadi village and Varsu Mallick of Gahedu village in Daringibadi area in Kandhamal District, on charges of supplying rice, ration and other material to the Maoist outfit. The duo was also allegedly helping the Maoists to paste Maoist posters in various places.

October 11: Gavaskar Nayak (27) was arrested in Kandhamal District for allegedly giving shelter to CPI-Maoist leaders in his house. Nayak a native of Rutangia village under G Udayagiri Police Station limit was closely associated with Maoist leader Dunna Keshav Rao alias Azad. Police claimed Nayak, after being arrested, confessed to acting as a middleman and a courier to supply material to Maoists. "During our raid we also recovered some Maoist posters from his house," said Kandhamal SP J.N. Pankaj. He added Police are investigating his involvement in crimes in Kandhamal and Ganjam Districts.

The Odisha bandh call given by the CPI-Maoist evoked lukewarm response in various Naxal-hit areas of the State, amid normal trade and business activities and vehicular movement, the Police said. The bandh called by the Maoists in protest against alleged arrest of a Maoist leader Damodar and combing operation in certain areas, had little impact in Districts like Sundargarh, Koraput, Gajapati, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Kandhamal and Ganjam, the Police said.

October 12: An exchange of fire between the CPI-Maoist cadres and the SFs took place in the wee hours of near Jamgaon village in Puintala tehsil in Bolangir District.

October 13: About three weeks after the murder of Jagabandhu Majhi, the BJD MLA representing Umerkote assembly constituency and his PSO Prasanta Kumar Patra at Gonahatapadar village under Raighar Police Station in Nabarangpur District on September 24, the CPI-Maoist cadres of Mainpur division of Chhattisgarh claimed that they killed Majhi as he was extorting and getting many people killed in their name. The claim was made through The Samaj, a local newspaper.

IG, Operation Y B Khurania, IG, Northern Range R P Koche, the CRPF Commandant and the Bargarh SP held a meeting with Bolangir SP Awinish Kumar and reviewed the law and order situation in the District and later, they toured Maoist-infested pockets in Khaparakhol block in the District.

October 18: The SFs recovered four landmines of 25 kilograms each during a combing operation in Godibali Chhaka near Kerubadi under Daringibadi Police limits in Kandhamal District. The CPI-Maoist were probably planning a major explosion and wanted to plant the landmines in the area, Kandhamal SP J N Pankaj said.

High alert has been sounded in all 14 Police Station areas in the District following revelations by Jagannath Nayak, a top Maoist that an attack by the Maoists was being planned.

Four activists of anti-Maoist CMAS of Bandhugaon unit were allegedly abducted by the Maoists near Katulpeta in Koraput District. The CMAS group of Bandhugaon block is opposed to violent activities of Maoists while the CMAS group of Narayanpatna block is allegedly supported by the Maoists.

October 19: CPI-Maoist cadres killed Puala Sadaram, a panchayat ward member of Sanakamara village and supporter of anti-Maoist CMAS of Bandhugaon unit, near Kumarganda village of Bandhugaon block in Koraput District. The Maoists had left posters in Odiya and Telugu language near the body claiming that he had been killed as he was opposed to their activities and also was a Police informer.

SFs neutralised a CPI-Maoist camp operating on a hilltop near Kharimari village under Adaba Police Station limits in Gajapati District. According to Police sources a group of Maoists, led by Nikhil of Bansadhara division, was camping at the spot, planning to disrupt road construction work in the area. Though some uniforms and food materials were recovered from the camp, the Maoists managed to escape.

Sanjib Jhankar, sarpanch of Meghapal gram panchayat and his associate, identified as Satya Ranjan Bhoi of Hiraloi village, were arrested by the Jujumura Police for allegedly trying to extort money in the name of Maoists in Sambalpur District. "We are investing if Jhankar had direct link with the Maoists or he was extorting money in their name as panicked people prefer to pay to such persons out of fear," said a Police Official.

October 20: The Maoists triggered a landmine blast in Kiriburu area in Keonjhar District. The blast damaged the glass panes of a vehicle ferrying three troopers of the CRPF, including the driver, who were proceeding from Kiriburu to Megadpur mines to pick up CoBRA troopers, Keonjhar SP Asish Singh said. However, no one in the vehicle was injured in the blast, the SP added.

The Maoists abducted Krishna Pidika, a supporter of the CMAS of Bandhugaon unit, from a market place in Almonda of Bandhugaon block in the District. A group of armed Maoists and their supporters dragged away Krishna from the market place. Krishna was attached to the cultural wing of the CMAS of Bandhugaon unit and used to sing songs at meetings organised by this group.

October 21: An accidental blast by the CPI-Maoist cadres killed eight cows inside the remote forest between Ramnabadi and Jirakua villages under Sorada Police Station in Ganjam District. "Maoists, fearing public dissent, did not the want the news to spread," said DIG, R.K. Sharma. As rumours started spreading, Security Forces visited the area on October 23.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Pattnaik met Union Home Minister P Chidambaram at New Delhi and urged to include five more Districts, namely, Ganjam, Bargarh, Nayagarh, Dhenkanal and Jajpur under IAP to tackle CPI-Maoist problem in the State. During the meeting Chidambaram informed Naveen that the centre has already included Ganjam, Nayagarh and Jajpur in the action plan and would provide security related funds under the SRE scheme for four Districts, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Bolangir and Bargarh. Chidambaram has assured Naveen that Union Home Ministry will soon provide one more battalion of CRPF forces to be stationed in sensitive areas while it would take two to three months to send one more battalion of BSF forces. The Centre has also placed indent for 2 MI-17 choppers and placement is expected shortly, which will be put at the disposal of the State Police, the Home Minister said.

October 22: A CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Deba Kartami, allegedly involved in several offences was arrested by a Police team during a combing operation in Metaguda forest area under Kalimela Police Station in Malkangiri District. Kartami, an active cadre of Padia dalam, was involved in many criminal activities, SP, Aniruddha Singh said. Besides a single barrel gun, some documents were recovered from him.

October 23: Suspecting presence of Maoists from Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, combing operations were intensified in Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamal Districts. We have launched combing operation for the last several days and will continue for some more days, Kandhamal SP J N Pankaj said.

October 26: Maoists exchanged fire with the SFs during a raid on a camp at Jadu Loisingh forest in Sambalpur District. The Maoists managed to escape. The SFs recovered a gun, three cartridges and five grenades from the camp.

October 29: The Police recovered a powerful landmine along with detonators, live-wires, batteries and splinters during a combing operation on the Kerubadi-Bhramarabadi road near Godamari Chowk in Kandhamal District.

October 30: A Maoist camp and a ' Martyrs Pillar' erected by them were destroyed by SF's during a combing operation in Malkangiri District. A large number of materials including fatigues, leaflets and utensils being used by the Maoists were also seized during a raid on their camp near Tumudimarka under Kalimela Police Station.

November 2: The CPI-Maoist gave a two-day bandh (shut down strike) call in Malkangiri District from November 16 to protest against the deployment of central forces in the area.

November 4: A Maoist camp was destroyed during an exchange of fire between Maoists and SFs at Paniganda forest areas of Munikhole gram panchayat in Rayagada District. SFs seized a rifle from the encounter site.

Police arrested a senior Maoist, Arta Bhoi, following a raid at Basloi village in Jujomora Police Station area in Sambalpur District. Allegedly, Bhoi was involved in as many as 19 criminal cases, including the arson at a crusher unit and a gun battle with Police near Jujomora. Police seized 10 detonators, three gelatin sticks, several batteries, 10 meters of fuse wire and a cell phone from his possession.

November 7: Maoists damaged an Andhra Pradesh Road Transport Corporation (APRTC) bus between Dandabadi village and Parvatipuram in Koraput District on the Narayanpatna route demanding that Maoist leader Damodar who was arrested on September 25 be produced in court.

Suspected Maoists put up posters in Kerubadi area in Kandhamal District threatening eight persons for being Police informers. While four of them were asked to be present at a Praja court (Kangaroo Court), the other four were informed of death sentence being awarded to them.

CPI-Maoist cadres damaged an Andhra Pradesh Road Transport Corporation (APRTC) bus between Dandabadi village and Parvatipuram in Koraput District on the Narayanpatna route. The Maoists were demanding that their leader Damodar, who was arrested on September 25, be produced in court.

Panic gripped the people of Kerubadi area in Kandhamal District after suspected Maoists put up posters in the area, threatening eight persons of dire consequences for being Police informers.

November 8: Three CPI-Maoist cadres were arrested from Daringbadi Police Station area in Kandhamal District. The arrested Maoists were identified as Janardan Pradhan, Salman Pradhan, and Mahipati Pradhan.

November 9: Police arrested three suspected CPI-Maoist cadres from Jujumara Police Station area in Sambalpur District after conducting raids at various places. They also sized gun -powder from the possession of one of them. Police said they all were involved in a crusher arson case in Mundher village on October 25 and a gun battle with Police near Jhankarbahali jungle on the next day.

November 14: Cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed a Panchayat ward member, Krushna Punji, in Khairpani village in Khaparakhol block of Bolangir District. The Maoists labeled him as a Police informer.

November 15: Even as the political atmosphere in Nabarangpur District's Umerkote is heating up ahead of the by-election on November 30, Maoist fear continues to cast a pall of gloom over the area. During the 2009 elections, Nabarangpur District, including Umerkote assembly segment, was considered a Maoist-free zone. Since then, in the last 20 months, the CPI-Maoist cadres have made inroads into the area, and have executed a series of offensives, including the killing of at least four people and blowing up the Kundai Police Station.

November 16: CPI-Maoist cadres slit the throat of a village head, Rama Kunja, at Bhubanpalli in Malkangiri District and chopped the finger of a school teacher in Koraput District. The teacher was attacked when he was trying to open the door of his school in Koraput District, Police said.

Normal life was affected in Malkangiri District following a two-day bandh call given by the Maoists. The bandh, which was called demanding withdrawal of SFs, affected normal life as vehicles were off the road and shops and educational institutions remained closed.

November 17: The CPI-Maoist warned BJD leaders not to campaign for the November 30 Umerkote Assembly by poll in Koraput District. They also asked voters to boycott the poll. "Don't express your franchise in the coming election. The government has done nothing for the tribals. Any BJD leader who dares to campaign at Raighar area will be eliminated," read a Maoist poster in Raighar.

A letter reportedly written by Maoist cadres with death-threat for 13 persons of Chandrapur block in Rayagada District reached local journalists. The letter signed by secretary of Bansadhara division of the CPI-Maoist reportedly ordered the 13 listed persons, said to be Police informers, to appear in their Kangaroo Court on November 27 or face death.

November 19: Odisha Government has planned to set up its own Pioneer Battalions to establish certain vital bridges and roads in the Maoist-hit Districts. Sources say the State Government, in the first phase, would raise two Pioneer Battalions on the lines of the BRO. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has accepted the State Government's proposal in this regard and has agreed to contribute INR 200 million for each battalion to be raised. Technical persons, including engineers, would be appointed in the Pioneer Battalions. Odisha would be the first State in the country to have its own Pioneer Battalions while the concept already exists in the Indian Army. The members of the Pioneer Battalions would be imparted special training to work in difficult situations.

November 20: The Police found the dead body of Sunil Debangan, the chairman of Nuapada Panchayat Samiti, near Godhas waterfall inside Sunabeda sanctuary. The CPI-Maoist cadres had left some posters near the body claiming that he was killed because of being 'Police informer' and 'anti-people'. Nuapada DSP, Prafulla Patra said the Maoists had fired when the Police went to trace Debangan's body. However, no one was injured.

November 25: The BSF personnel recovered a huge cache of explosives during an anti-Naxalite operation in Narayanpatna in Koraput District. Police said the explosives were hidden inside a hollow tree near Rajinguda village in Narayanpatna Police Station area. The recovered items include 45 kilograms of gel explosives, three buckets of gel IED, each weighing 15 kilograms, 7.5 kilograms gun powder, 15 kilograms urea and 200 metre codex wire.

November 28: Naxal posters were found at Rengali Tehsil Office in Sambalpur District. This poster of threatening was stuck by Odisha Liberation Tigers (OLT).

November 29: The bandh called by the Maoists in Sundargarh, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj Districts, bordering Jharkhand in protest against the killing of their leader Kishanji, evoked a mixed response. Buses from these three Districts to Jharkhand stopped plying and vehicular traffic on NH-23 and 215 was also affected, Police sources said.

November 30: The bandh call given by the CPI-Maoist in the border Districts of Odisha and Chhattisgarh in protest against killing of top Maoist Mallojula Koteshwara Rao alias Kishanji evoked mixed response in Nuapada District. The Komna block area of the District observed complete bandh, while in other parts of the District, normal life was not affected much. Vehicular movement on the NH-353 that runs between Raipur and Gopalpur was completely disrupted for a few hours in the night.

Except the inter-state bus services that kept off the roads, the Maoist-sponsored 24-hour shutdown call evoked little response in the bordering pockets of Sundargarh District, close to Saranda forest in Jharkhand. However, no untoward incident was reported.

Despite Maoists' warning to boycott the Assembly by poll at Umerkote in Nabarangpur District, over 70 per cent of the 165,000 voters cast their ballot peacefully.

December 2: The CPI-Maoist cadres set ablaze two cell phone towers - a BSNL tower at Mathapada and an AirTel tower at Kalia Attalla village - in Baipariguda block of in Koraput District and pasted posters and banners on school walls and trees on roadsides. The Maoists are targeting recruitment of a minimum of 2,000 youth and adolescents to the PLGA during the PLGA Week which began on December 2.

The Maoists pasted hundreds of posters in all the remote corners of undivided Koraput District (presently Malkangiri, Koraput and Nabarangpur Districts) including Baipariguda, Lamtaput, Kundra and Mathili blocks as also Govindpalli. They also affixed banners on the main roads, calling upon the public to observe the week and asking the youth to join the PLGA.

Shops and commercial establishments remained closed in Lamtaput, Macchkund and Ankadeli area of Koraput District and Balimela, Chitrakonda, Padia and Motu areas in Malkangiri District. The OSRTC authorities cancelled about 20 buses plying from their Jeypore depot to Malkangiri, Rayagada, Phulbani and Gajapati Districts in view of the PLGA Week.

The Maoists set ablaze two cell phone towers in Mathapada and Kaliatala in Boipariguda block in the District, to mark the beginning of PLGA Week.

During joint combing operation by the Police and the SOG in Almonda village under Bandhugaon block, the Police arrested 31 suspected Maoists supporters from Bargi and Langalabeda areas in Koraput District. Police also found Maoist posters and banners from their possession. They were later taken to neighbouring Parvathipuram Police Station in Andhra Pradesh for interrogation.

December 3: The cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed a contractor, identified as Rabindra Bidika alias Ruben (40), near Bikrampur under Narayanpatna Block (administrative division) of Koraput District. Maoists suspected him to be a Police informer. Bidika was on his way to Narayanpatna on a Motorcycle along with two others, when a group of Maoists opened fire on them. Bidika died on spot while the other two were injured. The Maoists also set ablaze his motorcycle.

December 4: The two-day country-wide shut-down called by Maoists evoked mixed response in the State amid disruption of vehicular movement and closure of shops in some places. Road traffic was affected in several areas of Naxal-infested Districts like Malkangiri, Rayagada, Gajapati, Sundargarh and Kandhamal during the bandh called by the Maoists in protest against the killing of their top leader Mallojula Koteshwara Rao alias Kishanji. Shops and business establishments remained closed in Kalimela, Motu, Padia and Chitrakonda areas of Malkangiri District, the Police said. In Sundergarh District, shops and markets were shut in areas bordering Jharkhand and remote places. No untoward incident was reported from any place of the State and the bandh has remained peaceful so far, the Police said.

The CPI-Maoist cadres blew up a school building at Salmi in Malkangiri District.

December 5: The Maoists set ablaze the battery room of a mobile tower in the District, on the second day of their two-day Bharat Bandh. According to sources, around 30 Maoists swooped down on the mobile tower belonging to a private cellular company in Kiang village, on Odisha-Chhattisgarh border, under Mathili Police Limits in the midnight and set the battery room of the tower on fire. "The Maoists have not used any explosives to damage the mobile tower. No injury or casualty has been reported," said the Police.

The Maoists set ablaze a truck at Jharmunda on Padampur-Nuapada road in Bargarh District. The empty gunny bags laden truck, bearing registration number OIS 8518, was travelling towards Bargarh town when it was obstructed at Jharmunda under Padampur Police Station in the District by a group of at least 100 Maoists.

December 6: Vehicular traffic came to a halt and markets remained shut in several CPI-Maoist-infested regions of the State on second day of the Bharat Bandh called by the Maoists. Impact of the bandh was felt in several places of Maoist-infested Districts like Malkangiri, Rayagada, Gajapati, Sundargarh and Kandhamal. Passengers faced a tough time as buses and other vehicles remained off the roads in most Maoist-hit areas including Malkangiri, Rayagada and Sundargarh for the second day on December 5, Police said. Shops and business establishments remained closed in Kalimela, Motu, Padia and Chitrakonda areas of Malkangiri District and remote places and areas bordering Jharkhand in Sundargarh District, they said.

The Maoists blocked the area by putting tree logs across the road, disrupting traffic, in the District. Padampur SDPO, N C Dansena, said Maoists have put logs on the road at Malda and Jharmunda, between Padampur and Paikmal, by cutting roadside trees. Public transport remained completely off the road, due to the blockade. Police said steps are being taken to clear the road.

December 10: The CPI-Maoist cadres, including women, attacked the camp of a construction firm at Saraikela village in Bargarh District and set ablaze about six vehicles. According to BD Chhatria, in-charge of the local Police Station, about 25 armed Maoists, including some women cadres, raided the camp and asked all the 13 construction workers to leave. "They then set ablaze six vehicles -- four tractors and two multi utility vehicles," he said. The Maoists have left a poster at the site which said the vehicles were set ablaze because the contractor had carried out road construction work in the area during a strike called by the Maoists.

December 11: Two CPI-Maoist cadres, identified as Prasanta Gulurika and Billura Brekawada, were arrested while trying to plant landmines on a road in Rayagada District. Explosives including two landmines, four electronic detonators and a few metres of live wire, Maoist posters, banners and handwritten letters were recovered from the possession of the arrestees.

December 13: A top CPI-Maoist cadre and three of his associates were arrested in Sambalpur District. The arrested Maoists were identified as Rambeer Sansar (22), Basant Herenz (51), Durga Topno (25) and Manglu Oram (55). Sansar, along with three of his associates, were arrested while they were on their way to the market.

The Odisha Police recovered a massive arms and ammunition dump of CPI-Maoist that included 15 landmines, 17 detonators and 6 pressure bombs from deep inside forests in Rayagada District.

December 14: A group of more than 50 armed CPI-Maoist cadres set ablaze a vehicle of Essar company near Pallankray village in Ralegada panchayat under Chitrakonda Police limits in Malkangiri District. The Maoists took the 7-member group of Essar company officials from Chhattisgarh as hostage in a nearby area and set the Tata Sumo vehicle on fire after pouring petrol on it. All the hostages were later released hours after the incident. The Maoists were in military uniforms and were speaking in Oriya and Hindi, said an eyewitness to the incident.

The District Police destroyed illegal hemp cultivation over 15 acres in Kendiriguda village within Padmapur Police limits in Rayagada District. Sources claimed that a part of the earnings from such cultivation goes to the Maoists and hence it is undertaken in Maoist-dominated areas.

December 16: CPI-Maoist cadres set ablaze the battery rooms of at least five mobile towers in Sorada area of Ganjam District. While two mobile towers were attacked in Gajalabadi, three were attacked in Ashurabandh under Sorada police station limits. Separate groups of about 20 Maoists each attacked the mobile towers belonging to private cellular operators located in Ganjam-Kandhamal-Gajapati border. Police also found a hand written poster of the Maoists from Gajalabadi. The poster said the Maoists had damaged the mobile towers in protest against the killing of CPI-Maoist politburo member Mallojula Koteswara Rao alias Kishanji by SFs in West Bengal.

December 19: CM Naveen Patnaik told the Assembly on the murder of the then Umerkote MLA Jagabandhu Majhi that the case was being investigated and ''Evidence collected so far reveals the involvement of Left-wing extremists operating from Chhattisgarh''.

Dismissing allegations that the Government had miserably failed to tackle the Left-wing extremists, the CM said the militant activities of the CPI-Maoist have been contained to a great extent. ''There has been no organised Maoist attack on security forces during the last one year. Important roads have been secured for effective deployment of forces and operations by police and security forces,'' he said in his reply to the discussion on the supplementary demand of grants for the Home and the General Administration departments. The CM said his Government was formulating a revised surrender and rehabilitation policy by making the package more attractive to encourage Maoist cadres to give up arms. Stating that the strength of SOG has been substantially enhanced, the CM said inter-State coordination meetings are being held with neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand for better coordinated operation against the Maoists. The CM slammed the Union Government for reduced allocation of Central assistance under MPF scheme over the years despite the State utilising 99 per cent of the funds provided since 2000.

December 20: Two huge arms dumps of the CPI-Maoist were unearthed by SFs in Malkangiri District, close to Andhra Pradesh border. They were located during a joint operation by personnel of the BSF, SOG and DVF inside the dense Khalaguda forest, 35 km from Khairaput Police Station. The recovery included 24 gelatine sticks, 103 commercial detonators, two switches of IED, one IED box, three steel tiffin carriers used to manufacture IEDs, two wire bundles, batteries of remote control devices, electronic stop watch, various electronic circuits, 20 capacitors, and two large plastic drums. Publicity material of the Maoists, both in Odia and Telugu, was also unearthed. A projector screen was also seized.

December 22: During the recent observance of the PLGA Week, about 5,000 youths and adolescent girls were recruited by the CPI-Maoist particularly from Malkangiri District. Challenging the joint combing operation of Police, CRPF, SOG and paramilitary forces, they were able to hold open meetings for membership drive in the cut-off and remote pockets of the District. They held Prajamelis in around 10 villages, including in several village haats in Alampaka, Similibanki, Kusuguda and Kurmanur areas along the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border.

December 23: After huge haul of explosives in Malkangiri District, including 24 gelatin sticks, the security agencies have launched a probe to find out whether the explosives meant for industries are being smuggled to the LWEs in the District.

The Odisha Police recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition from a forest in Koraput District. According to reports, the Police recovered landmines, tiffin bombs, one tonne of gunpowder and approximately 50 litres of liquid explosives and forty walky-talkies belonging to the CPI-Maoist.

December 26: Ramesh Charva (22), a key CPI-Maoist cadre, was arrested by the Rourkela Police in a combing operation in Jhirpani-Toda forest area in Sundargarh District. The Police recovered a revolver, five live bullets, INR 78, 500 in cash and a few Maoist leaflets from him.

A Police Station was inaugurated at Podia in Koraput District. Police were withdrawn from Podia after the CPI-Maoist cadres blew up the outpost in 2009. BSF and IRB personnel have also been deployed in Podia with the establishment of the Police Station there.


Punjab

May 4: A cadre of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Harbhinder Singh alias Jalal, was arrested by the Mohali Police at Kharar-Ludhiana National Highway 95 in Kharar City in Mohali District. DSP Sukhdev Singh Virk said, Jalal, a native of Jalal village in Bathinda District was arrested along with a .32 revolver, Maoist literature, a fake voter identity card as well as forms for recruiting new people. "On search, the suspect was found possessing documents of a Maoist organisation besides arm and ammunition, following which he was taken into custody," Virk said.


Uttar Pradesh

January 19: Police arrested a top ranking cadre of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Pankaj alias Chunmun alias Ram Prasad alias Toto during a combing operation in the forests of Hanumana Hills under Ahraura Police Station area of Mirzapur District in Uttar Pradesh. The Police recovered 50 cartridges of AK-47 and 7.62mm from his possession. Pankaj, a resident of Rohtas District in Bihar, had joined the outfit 10 years back and was working with the Maoists led by the 'area commander', Munna Vishwakarma, SP, K Satyanarain said. Pankaj was involved in over 24 incidents of Maoist-related incidents in UP and Bihar, including a bomb blast at Kanhar in which two persons were killed.

January 26: Five cadres of the CPI-Maoist hailing from Jharkhand were arrested in the Lanka area in Varanasi District. Acting on a tip-off, the Police arrested the five Maoists identified as Nagendra Singh Yadav, Kamlesh Majhi and Rakesh Gupta of Palamau and Mahendra Prajapati and Ajit Kumar Singh of Latehar District, involved in Maoist propaganda, mostly through mobile phones. Several cases are pending against them in Bihar and Jharkhand, SP Vijay Bhushan said. A sports utility vehicle was also recovered from them.

February 23: The SOG of District Police and Adampur Police raided Kazzakpura locality and arrested a gang of vehicle lifters in Varanasi District. The arrested persons were identified as Mohd Sahil of Allahabad, Rajesh Yadav of Bhadohi, Avinash Pandey of Konia, Sanjiv Kumar Singh alias Pintu and Naval Kishore Prasad alias Gope of Bhojpur District in Bihar. DIG Lalji Shukla said the MUV were stolen from Districts of Uttar Pradesh and are being sold to the terrorist outfits and to the cadres of the CPI-Maoist. The Police also recovered some master keys and tools used for breaking the locks of vehicles.

February 24: Two Nepali nationals suspected of supplying explosives to the CPI-Maoist cadres were arrested along with a cache of detonators and gelatine sticks in Bahraich District. Bahraich SP Shailendra Pati Tripathi said that the duo, identified as Deepak Bahadur and Udan Bhuda, were arrested near the Indo-Nepal border in Rupaidiha check post. The SP said, "Around 850 detonators and over 1,400 gelatine rods have been seized from the possession of the duo, who could have links with Maoists.''

May 2: A CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Shashikant Mishra alias Naval Pandit (35), who operated in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, was arrested by the Police from Ojha Pahari area in Vindaganj town in Sonebhadra District. 30 gelatine rods, four electronic detonators, a country-made firearm and cartridges were recovered by the Police from the possession of Mishra, SDGP Brij Lal said. Mishra, hailed from Rohtas District in Bihar and worked for Munna Vishwakarma gang, SP Deepak Kumar said. "Sashikant is involved in attacks on a Police team in Rohtas District in Bihar. He had at least six criminal cases against him in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh," SP Kumar added. Mishra carried a cash reward of INR 5,000 on his head.

May 5: Two persons suspected of supplying explosives to the CPI-Maoist cadres have been arrested in Maholi area, in Sonebhadra District. "The two were caught moving suspiciously near a Police outpost. We definitely cannot rule out the possibility of their links with Maoists," Police Inspector Yogesh Yadav said. One of the two arrestees hailed from Bihar while the other is a native of Jharkhand and their identity is yet to be ascertained. The Police recovered over 300 electronic detonators, 50 gelatin rods and several fuse wires from their possession.

June 15: The Uttar Pradesh Police arrested three persons and recovered a total of 10,500 detonators from their car in Kokhraj area in Kaushambhi District. "We cannot rule out the possibility of them being linked to Maoist groups. Investigations are on," Police Inspector Anand Kumar said in Kaushambhi. Preliminary inquiry revealed that two are natives of Rohtas District in Bihar, while the third is from Uttar Pradesh. The Police are yet to ascertain from where the three persons bought the detonators.

July 9: Two persons suspected of supplying explosives to the CPI-Maoist were arrested from Jamuwahan crossing in Syedraza town in Chandauli District, with a cache of detonators. Over 500 detonators were recovered from them. According to police, the two are natives of Maoist-affected Sonbhadra District of the State.

July 22: Four CPI-Maoist cadres surrendered before the SP Deepak Kumar in Sonebhadra District. The four surrendered Maoist cadres are identified as Guddu Singh alias Vinay, a former Maoist 'zonal commander' of northern Gadhwa (Bihar), Surendra alias Guddu Rai alias Ajayji, 'zonal commander' of Rohtas region (Bihar), Ram Dular alias Naval Kharwar, 'area commander' of striking squad, Rohtas (Bihar), and Sunil Ravidas, an active member of the striking squad. The Maoists surrendered with three self-loading rifles (SLR), a hand grenade, four magazines and 200 live cartridges. One of these SLRs was looted from the cops after blowing a PAC truck at Hinaut Ghat in Naugarh area of Chandauli District in 2004, in which 17 PAC personnel were killed, the SP said.

All the four Maoists were wanted by the Police of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand for the past 10 years. Guddu Singh was involved in 15 cases of murder, kidnapping and carried a cash reward of INR 12,000. Fourteen cases of similar nature are lodged against Surendra of Palamu District in Jharkhand, Ram Dular, a native of Rohtas was involved in eight Maoist cases and Sunil, a native of Chandauli was involved in one such cases.

July 28: Police arrested a CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Vinod Kharwar, from Chunagadhi hill in Sarauda forests in Mirzapur District after launching a search operation. They also recovered a self-loading rifle, a double-barrel gun, two grenades and several live cartridges from his possession. Kharwar was being searched by the Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Bihar Police for past several years. As many as four cases were lodged against him with Sonbhadra District Police while 16 cases were lodged against him in different Districts of Bihar. The UP Police had announced a cash award of INR 12,000 on him while the proposal to increase the cash award up to INR 50,000 was pending with the Bihar Government.

August 2: The Police arrested a wanted Maoist, Shivdas Paswan, from Kone Police Station area in Sonbhadra District. According to Sonbhadra Superintendent of Police, Deepak Kumar, Paswan is from Bihar and he mainly operated in Bihar and Jharkhand. Many cases were also lodged against him with Kone police.

The Police are maintaining high alertness in Maoist-affected Sonbhadra, Chandauli and Mirzapur Districts in view of the call of observing 'shahidi saptah' (martyrdom week) by Maoists.

August 4: Five persons, suspected of having links with the CPI-Maoist, were arrested by Police with a huge cache of explosives from Ahrarura town in Mirzapur District. The five, aged between 26-30 years, were arrested with 2,000 detonators and around 50 kilograms of widely used commercial explosive ammonium nitrate. "It appears that the five were supposed to hand over the illegal consignment of explosives to Maoists," Police Inspector Deepak Pandey told reporters. "Of the five arrested, four are from Maoist-hit Rohtas district of Bihar, while another is from Uttar Pradesh's Chandauli district," he added.

September 12: The nine-day training programme on tactics of jungle warfare, anti-Naxal and counter-terrorism for the Uttar Pradesh Police, ATS and STF by the National Police Academy (NPA), Hyderabad will commence in Sonebhadra District. During the training period, the trainees would be given bare minimum necessities. Not only jungle warfare but the Maoist and terrorist training methodology would also be studied during the proposed programme.

September 18: SFs arrested Ram Vijay Chandrabanshi, a close aide of CPI-Maoist leader Munna Vishwakarma of Soneganga Vindhya Zonal Committee (SVZC), in Sonebhadra District. Special DGP (Crime, Law and Order) Brij Lal said that the arrest was made in a joint operation of the District Police and the CRPF contingent engaged in anti-Naxal operations from the Silthari Canal area in Robertsganj Police Station of Sonebhadra. During interrogation, Chandrabanshi reportedly confessed to his involvement in blowing up a school building in Yadunathpur village under Chutiya Police Station in Rohtas District of Bihar in 2010. A native of Yadunathpur village, Chandrabanshi has at least three criminal cases pending against him with the Bihar Police and one at Sonebhadra Police Station.

October 1: A huge cache of explosives and bombs, along with detonators and fuse wire, reportedly planted by the cadres of the CPI-Maoist to blow up a Police patrol van, were recovered from the Chowki area in Sonbhadra District. Acting on a tip-off, Sonbhadra Police and CRPF personnel recovered 80 kilograms of explosives from the Chowki area.

Special DGP (Law & Order) Brij Lal, an IPS officer of the 1977 batch, took over the charge of the DGP of the State.

December 22: The Police arrested two top CPI-Maoist cadres, identified as 'sub-zonal commander' Jaikaran and his wife Lalita alias Pushpa alias Kusumi from Machi area in Sonbhadra District. While Jaikaran had reward money of INR 200, 000 on his head, Lalita had INR 30, 000 on her head. The Police recovered a .32 bore revolver and live cartridges from their procession. Jaikaran was one of the main accused in the attack on PAC camp in Khoradih, Mirzapur in 2002 in which arms were looted. Lalita had also earned notoriety after joining Maoist groups with her brother, Lalvrat alias Kamalji, another top Maoist, still at large.


Tamil Nadu

November 29: CRPF Director General, K Vijay Kumar said that Tamil Nadu was free from Maoist menace and there was no need for any searches against them in the State. Vijay Kumar, who had held key positions in the State Police Force in the past, said CRPF had sought additional 100 acres for its training centre coming up at Idayapatti near Tirumogur in Madurai District. He said CRPF had 218 battalions comprising of 300,000 SF personnel and that States had been provided CRPF personnel according to their requirements.


West Bengal

January 2: Three cadres of the CPI-Maoist were arrested from Lakxmanpur area of the West Midnapore District. Acting on a tip-off, the Security Forces raided the village and arrested Mangal Mahato, Gopal Mahato and Jagadish Mahato, Superintendent of Police Manoj Verma said.

January 3: Four Maoists cadres were arrested from Belpahari area of Jhargram in West Midnapore District. Acting on a tip-off, the SFs raided the area and arrested Biswanath, Mukunda, Samay Kisku and Prafulla Ruidar, Jhargram SP Pravin Tripathi said.

January 4: A cadre of the CPI-Maoist was killed and another seriously injured in an encounter between the Maoists and the SFs in Bakshibandh forest near Lalgarh in West Midnapore District. The killed Maoist cadre was identified as Saheb Kisku while the injured was identified as Sudhan Soren. According to the Police, SFs started encircling Kankradara village inside the forest in the night of January 3, after receiving information that a group of Maoists led by squad leader Tota had been camping there for the last three days. "At the break of dawn, a Maoist sentry spotted the SFs and started firing. The SFs retaliated. One Maoists cadre was killed, another injured while Tota and the rest of the squad members managed to flee from the site," SP Manoj Kumar Verma said. The injured Maoist has been rushed to hospital 'We are conducting search operations in and around the forest areas. Two fire arms, .315 single barrel guns, directional landmines, empty cartridges, some detonators and ammunition have been recovered,' SP Verma added.

The CBI made its eighteenth arrest in the Gyaneshwari Express derailment incident from the Jhargram region of West Midnapore District. The arrested person, Sunil Mahato of Manikpara village, was named among 23 persons in the charge-sheet submitted by the CBI at the District court on November 29 following investigations into the incident which killed 148 passengers on May 28, 2010. Mahato, a supporter of the CPI-Maoist-backed PCPA, was a labour contractor and reportedly supplied labourers working under him to the saboteurs for opening pandrol clips of the railway track.

January 6: A local leader of the ruling CPI-M, identified as Dilip Mahato was abducted and killed by the CPI-Maoist cadres in West Midnapore District. 'Dilip Mahato, secretary of CPI-M's Jambedia branch committee in Sankrail Police Station area was found dead in the morning of January 7,' said ASP Mukesh Kumar.

The Maoists triggered a landmine blast inside the house of Nemai Sen, a local CPI-M leader in Nadaria village near Salboni area. 'A group of 15-20 armed Maoists attacked Sen's house in the night. As Nemai was not present at that time, the Maoists dragged out his father and beat him up severely. Later a major portion of the house was blown up by triggering landmine blast inside the house,' said a senior Police Officer.

The restrictions on movement of passenger trains during night in Maoist-affected areas of West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand will continue till January 13, the South Eastern Railway (SER) said in Kolkata. 'In view of security reasons, running of passenger trains on Kharagpur-Adra, Chakradharpur-Rourkela and Kharagpur-Tata section will continue to remain suspended up to January 13 from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.[IST],' a railway release said. Accordingly, some train services have been diverted, re-scheduled and regulated, it added. The railways have been restricting the movement of trains following the May 28 Gyaneshwari Express sabotage in West Midnapore District in which 148 people were killed.

January 7: Some Maoist posters were noticed on the walls of a CPI-M party office and local club in Gangulibagan area in the southern Kolkata, a Police Official said. The Jadavpur Police reached the spot and removed the posters. 'The posters said that three local CPI-M leaders are carrying out atrocities and they will be given capital punishment very soon,' said a senior Police Officer of South 24 Parganas District.

January 8: PCPA, the CPI-Maoist-backed outfit, the leadership said that its cadres were behind the attack — on what it described as a camp of the ‘harmad’ (hired armed goons) — which led to violence resulting in the death of seven persons at Netai village in the Lalgarh area of the State's West Midnapore District on January 7. This revelation came on a day when the State Government said that Police reports indicated the presence of Maoists and PCPA cadres in the violence there. PCPA spokesperson Dilip Hansda told a local television channel that the villagers had taken it upon themselves to destroy the harmad camps in the region — something, he claimed, the local administration had failed to do. "Those killed and injured [in the Netai violence] were all supporters of our movement and did not belong to any political party," he asserted.

January 9: A group of suspected CPI-Maoist cadres killed a villager, identified as Jamil Soren in West Midnapore District. Soren, a native of Garra village near Lalgarh, was dragged out of his house and was shot dead. Locals said Soren was a former member of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the youth wing of the ruling CPI-M. He recently joined the Maoist-backed PCPA and was active in the area.

January 12: Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist set ablaze the house of a ruling CPI-M local committee member Bibek Mondal, who was not at home then, in Chandpal village of Sankrail in West Midnapore. Around 100 Maoists, 15 carrying firearms and the rest with rods and sticks, descended on Chandpal village around 11.30am set ablaze the house of Mondal and subsequently ransacked and set ablaze the houses of many other CPI-M workers. They also assaulted the villagers. Warning the villagers to stop siding with CPI-M, the Maoists threatened to mount another midnight attack on the village if the fires were put out. After setting ablaze the houses, the Maoists escaped. While escaping they also felled trees and blocked a village road.

Over 150 under trial prisoners arrested in connection with Maoist activities have gone on an indefinite hunger strike in different jails of West Bengal. The strike has been launched as a protest against the 'mass killings' at Netai village of Lalgarh where seven unarmed villagers were shot dead by the CPI-M cadres on January 7.

January 14: Intelligence officials have sent specific inputs to camps-in-charge under various Police Stations in West Midnapore District about an impending attack by cadres of the CPI-Maoist and PCPA. The report added, "Large numbers of arms and ammunition have been collected by (CPI-Maoist)/ PCPA and Sidhu Kanu Gana Militia supporters as well as criminals and miscreants supported by various political parties."

The death toll in the violence at Netai in the Lalgarh area of West Midnapore District rose to eight, with one woman identified as Gitali Adak, succumbing to their bullet injuries in Seth Sukhlal Karnani Memorial (SSKM) Hospital in Kolkata. PCPA, the CPI-Maoist backed outfit, were behind the January 7 violence at Netai.

January 16: The death toll in the violence at Netai in the Lalgarh area of West Midnapore District rose to nine, with one women identified as Arati Mondal (55) succumbing to their bullet injuries in Seth Sukhlal Karnani Memorial (SSKM) Hospital in Kolkata. PCPA, the CPI-Maoist backed outfit, were behind the January 7 violence at Netai.

January 17: A group of suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist set ablaze a ruling CPI-M party office at Dibibaksol under Jhargram Police limit in West Midnapore District.

The Maoists triggered a land mine blast in a building housing the office and training facility of a SHG, Naba Jagran Sangha, at Khaerboni village in Jhargram block. "Two land mines were blasted in a SHG's office in Patashimul area of Jhargram early today. The entire building was damaged. We suspect the Maoists active in the area are involved in the crime," said ASP Mukesh Kumar.

January 18: Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed a person, stated to be a supporter of the ruling CPI-M, and assaulted more than 20 others in the Belatikri area near Lalgarh in West Midnapore District. According to the Police, around 50 suspected Maoists gheraoed a group of CPI-M supporters at Chapardah village who were returning from a public meeting organised by the Krishak Sabha - peasant wing of the CPI-M at Lalgarh. The victim Khagen Das Adhikary was abducted by the Maoists and later his bullet-riddled body was found in a canal in Chandrapur village, SP Manoj Kumar Verma said. His hands were tied and a Maoist poster was found near his body branding him a Police agent and 'harmad'. "It was the handiwork of Maoists," SP Verma added. Governor M.K. Narayanan is scheduled to visit the area on January 19.

January 21: Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist shot dead a CPI-M leader in West Midnapore District. The victim identified as 'Rabi Mahato, a CPI-M leader of Ramgarh near Lalgarh, was dragged out of his house by a group of armed men and was shot dead. His bullet-ridden body was recovered on the next morning.

January 23: Three activists of the ruling CPI-M were killed by suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist in Rameswarpur village of Salboni in West Midnapore District. The three victims were identified as Karamchand Mahato (40), a resident of Hathilot village adjoining Rameswarpur, Uttam Roy and Kashinath Palmal of Sahaspur village in Keshpur, while the one injured, Sambhunath Samanta (25), is from Anandapur in Keshpur, DSP Aneesh Sarkar, said.

A CPI-Maoist squad leader, identified as Kalicharan alias Kaliram Soren active in Binpur area, was arrested by the Police from Jhatira village in Jhargram in West Midnapore District. "Kaliram was presented before the Jhargram court in the afternoon of January 24 and the court has remanded him in Police custody for 14 days", ASP (operation) Mukesh Kumar said. 'Kaliram, a landmine expert and knows all the dos and don'ts in making landmines and was involved all the landmine blasts that were triggered by the ultra-Left rebels in Binpur area. He was also accused in several cases and three arrest warrants were pending against him,' ASP Kumar added.

January 24: Two senior woman squad leaders of the CPI-Maoists operating from Gumla in neighbouring Jharkhand were arrested during a joint raid by the West Bengal and Jharkhand Police at Kanksa town under Durgapur sub-division of Bardhaman District. According to the Police, Akanksha alias Sheela Didi alias Shanti Marandi and Pursala Murmu were charged under Section 18 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act for their alleged involvement in triggering a landmine blast in August 2010 at Giridih in Jharkhand that killed five persons. Shanti is reported to have more than 10 cases of murder, arson and sedition pending against her in Jharkhand Police Stations.

January 26: Decomposed bodies of two ruling CPI-M workers, suspected to have been killed by the cadres of the CPI-Maoist, were recovered from the outskirts of Pathari village in the Jhargram area in West Midnapore District. One of the dead bodies was identified as that of Sheikh Mohammad Ali, and the other was of his acquaintance which is yet to be identified by the Police. Both of them had been abducted by the Maoists since January 15, ASP (Jhargram) Mukesh Kumar, said.

January 31: Two suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist were arrested from a relief camp run by TMC in West Midnapore. One of the arrestee, identified as Amiya Mahato alias Baichung, is an accused in the Silda EFR camp massacre while the other is identified as Asim Mahato, a close aide of Maoist politburo member Koteshwar Rao alias Kisan , said SP Manoj Verma.

Three Maoists, identified as Malini Hansda (26), Baburam Murmu (20) and Dhiren Soren (18), surrendered in Bankura District, to join the mainstream. Hansda was initially been inducted into the Ranibandh squad of the outfit. She said the "abject poverty in which I grew up caused in me a sense of disillusionment with the existing system" and "became attracted" to Maoist ideology during a trip to her village, Mahadeb Sinan, in late 2009. Police said Hansda had been given training in arms handling and had also attended "ideology classes". "About a year ago, she was shifted to the Belpahari squad in West Midnapore," a Police Officer said. Bankura SP Pranab Kumar said Hansda had been tasked with "holding lectures on Maoist ideology, basically brainwashing new recruits". He added West Midnapore Police wanted Hansda in connection with arms, arson and sedition cases. Hansda said that a few months ago, she became "disillusioned with the hopes and promises that Maoist extremism had once offered". "I read about the Government's offer to rehabilitate Maoists who surrender. I discussed the matter with my mother and uncles before surrendering," she said.

February 1: Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist abducted Baria Soren, a ruling CPI-M supporter, at gunpoint from Sapdhara village in West Midnapore District. Subsequently, Soren was killed by the Maoists and the dead body was recovered by the Police on February 2, near the village in Jhargram Police District.

February 2: Acting on a tip-off, the Police arrested three Maoist action squad members, identified as Siddhartha Pal, Gooden Soren and Srinath Murmu from the Namagacharia forest in Bankura District. "They were holding a secret meeting. We have seized lot of explosives from the three," Bankura SP Pranav Kumar said. Pal was a member of the Ranibandh squad and the other two were members of the Binpur squad of the Maoists.

A suspected cadre of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Tapan Mudi, was arrested from Jhargram Police District. He was involved in the murder of Ajit Mondal, a ruling CPI-M worker in May 2010, Police said.

Hundreds of locals blocked National Highway-6 near Bankshole village in the Police District. The agitating villagers claimed that Joint Forces picked up Gouranga Khilari, a student of Class X, while he was on his way to school. The blockade continued for three hours. The Maoist-backed PCPA took out rallies in different parts of Jhargram in protest against the arrest of the school student and lathi charge on journalists in Midnapore town. "We observed Wednesday as a black day," said PCPA spokesperson Joydeb Mahato. Police, however, did not admit that the boy was arrested. The blockade was withdrawn after Police assured the villagers to look into the matter.

February 4: Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist shot dead a local leader of the ruling CPI-M at Nayagram in West Midnapore District. The victim, identified as Baidyanath Jana, a resident of Uparpathia village and a clerk of a high school by profession, was killed when four armed youths shot him from close range beside a forest while he was waiting for a bus. The victim was a two-time Pradhan of Patina gram panchayat, Police said.

February 6: Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist and Maoist-backed PCPA set a truck carrying sponge iron on fire in Jhargram sub-divisional municipality in West Midnapore District. "Today was not a strike day and everyone was walking on the roads without any fear. We were carrying sponge iron on our trucks when they (Maoists) fired at us. We stop our vehicles on strike days for this fear, but now it is happening on workdays too," said Gobinda Senapati, a staff member of the sponge iron factory.

Bishnu Soren alias Rimil (40), a CPI-Maoist 'squad commander' operating in Binpur area of West Midnapore wanted in seven cases, including the Silda Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) camp attack, was arrested by Jhargram Police from the Binpur area in West Midnapore District.

February 9: The West Bengal State Government said the CPI-Maoist has infiltrated into the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) ranks and have triggered the violence. GJM is a party fighting for a separate State of Gorkhaland. "We have information that Maoists have sneaked into the Morcha ranks and they stoked violence there," a Home Department official said. The CPI-Maoist, earlier in the day, condemned the Police firing and said they were extending their support to the cause of the Morcha. Two persons were killed and 19 people, including seven GJM supporters and 12 Police personnel, were injured on February 8 during a protest which turned violent in Darjeeling and Kalimpong.

Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist shot dead Rabi Lochan Singh Mura, an AIFB supporter, in the Baghmundi area of Purulia District. Posters left behind by the Maoists at the murder site said that Rabi was killed as they suspected him to be a Police informer.

February 12: West Bengal Police recovered a cache of arms and ammunition from the house of Maoist leaders Najim Sekh and Atar Sekh from Bindugram village in Burdwan District. "We recovered a U.S. made 9 mm pistol, one sten carbine gun, two magazines, and 35 rounds of cartridges. No arrests have been made till now," said Tirthendu Ganguly, the Officer in Charge of Mongalkote Police Station.

February 13: A local leader of the ruling CPI-M, identified as Rameshwar Bag (60) of Panchruki village in the Jhargram area, was killed by a group of 8-10 armed cadres of the CPI-Maoist in West Midnapore District. Maoist posters, claiming responsibility for the killing, were recovered from the spot. They read that Bag was given 'capital punishment' for acting as Police informer, SP Praveen Tripathy said.

February 14: A JMM supporter was killed by suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist at Gopiballavpur in West Midnapore District. The bullet-riddled dead body of Parimal Hansda (27), with head smashed, was recovered from a deserted spot with a poster lying nearby stating Hansda was given the extreme punishment for being a Police informer. Hansda, a resident of Rehera Ghutu village bordering Odisha, was abducted by the Maoists from his residence on February 13.

February 15: Uttam Mahato, a cadre of the CPI-Maoist squad led by Gautam Rana operating in Jhargram sub-division of West Midnapore District, was arrested. Uttam, arrested from his native place Tatai, was wanted in several cases, including four murders, arson and damaging Government properties, Jhargram SP Praveen Tripathi said.

Another Maoist, identified as Chinmoy Murmu, was arrested from Taldangra area of Bankura District. "Acting on specific information about some senior Maoist leaders assembled in Taldangra area, we conducted a raid and arrested Chinmoy. A firearm, ammunition and Maoist documents were recovered from him," Bankura SP Pranav Kumar said. Chinmoy was an active member of Maoist squad run by Ranjit Pal in Ayodhya Hills in Purulia District. He then shifted to Lalgarh to assist senior leaders. Recently, Chinmoy was assigned to strengthen the outfit’s base in Taldangra area.

Joint forces recovered a pistol from a panchayat office at the Belatikri village of Jhargram area in West Midnapore District. SDO C. Murugan said he visited the panchayat office with the joint forces after he came to know that the census work was disrupted at that area due to the trouble created by the CPI-Maoist cadres. Police said the office was empty and during a search they found the 9-mm pistol wrapped in a blanket. Police, however, are yet to confirm who had left the arms. "We have learnt that some outsiders have been staying at the panchayat office," said an unnamed Police official.

February 16: An advanced central force of 100 companies of security men, to prevent pre-poll violence, will start arriving from February 20 for deployment in the Maoist-dominated areas and in North Bengal. West Bengal Chief Secretary Samar Ghosh said that of the total 800 companies of central forces sought by the State Government, an advanced team of 100 companies will start arriving from February 20.

February 17: Two CPI-Maoist cadres, identified as Bhim Baske and Ganesh Murmu were arrested after a gunfight at Bera and Baghghora by the Police in West Midnapore District. "Seeing the Forces approaching their hideout, the Maoists opened fire. The gun battle continued for a few hours. None of the Security personnel were injured," SP Manoj Kumar Verma said. "We have been able to recover a cache of arms including one INSAS rifle and two magazines looted from Silda camp on February 15, 2010; one SLR looted from the EFR patrol party at Gidhni on November 27, 2009 and one .303 rifle with magazine looted from Sankrail Police Station on October 20, 2009," Verma said. "With this recovery we have been able recover 26 of the 70 weapons snatched from the Police by the Maoists," Verma added. The Police also recovered one 9-mm pistol, one single barrel rifle, seven kilograms explosives, 5 socket landmines, 8 detonators, 4 flash guns, one camera, a number plate of a vehicle, camouflage dress, women's garments, torch, cell phones, besides materials for making explosives, medicines and one notebook with detailed training module was recovered from the spot, Verma said.

February 18: CPI-Maoist cadres killed Bablu Mahato, a worker of the ruling CPI-M in West Midnapore District. "The locals informed about the bullet-ridden body of Bablu Mahato lying in Beliabera village in Jhargram sub-division of the District," ASP (operation), Mukesh Kumar said. "Maoists' posters were recovered from the spot, which read that Bablu was killed for acting as a Police informer," Kumar added. The victim's family alleged that a group of six-eight Maoist cadres raided their house late in the night of February 18. Bablu was dragged out, taken to a forest and killed, said Kumar.

February 20: CPI-Maoist cadres killed one person in Sankrail in Jhargram sub-division of West Midnapore District, accusing him of being a Police informer. "A bullet-ridden body was recovered near Sankrail in Jhargram sub-division. The body has been sent for autopsy. We are yet to identify the victim,' ASP Mukesh Kumar said. Maoist posters claiming responsibility for the crime were recovered from the spot. The posters stated that the victim was a corrupt local worker of the ruling CPI-M and was killed for being a Police informer, Kumar added.

A cadre of the CPI-Maoist backed PCPA was arrested from Indraboni area near Manikpara in Jhargram sub-division of the West Midnapore District. "Bablu Rana was one of the accused of the Gyaneshwari Express tragedy and named in the charge sheet produced by the CBI which is probing the incident.

February 23: Suspected CPI-Maoist cadres triggered a landmine explosion at a panchayat office in the Jhargram region of West Midnapore District. A group of Maoists raided the panchayat office at Dhanghori village, located on the road connecting Lodhasuli and Kesiapatha, and planted a landmine to blow up the building. Earlier, the same building was torched by the Maoists about two months ago, destroying furniture and documents, SP Praveen Tripathi, said.

March 2: Five persons were arrested and nearly 425 kilograms of gelatine was recovered in Birbhum District. The Police said that they were investigating whether the explosive material was meant for the CPI-Maoist. "Acting on specific inputs, we conducted raids along Dubrajpur-Pandaveswar road in Dubrajpur area and recovered 17 packets of gelatine gel from a Bankura bound vehicle. Five persons travelling in the vehicle were arrested," said Birbhum SP Nishat Parvez. "Two were from Jamuria in Burdwan, two from Rampurhat in Birbhum and one from Bankura. We are interrogating to know the source and receivers of such a huge quantity of gelatine gel," the SP said. The consignment might be meant for the Maoists who are active in Bankura District, Police said.

March 3: Sarkar Hembram (26), a constable posted in Purulia District was abducted by suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist-backed PCPA, from his in-laws’ home in Beliabera in West Midnapore District on March 3. According to the Police, Sarkar was in a conversation with his father-in-law Khelaram Tudu, a constable at Midnapore court, in the courtyard of his house when five armed PCPA cadres arrived on three motorcycles. "The youths had their faces covered and they took Sarkar and his father-in-law away on their motorcycles. Around 8pm, Khelaram was released. But Sarkar is yet to be released," said a Police officer.

Two suspected Maoists were arrested from Banisole village near Lalgarh in the District. The duo was identified as Meghnath Mahato and Madhusudan Mahato, wanted in several cases. "Meghnath is the brother of Maoist squad leader Badal. We are now interrogating them to know whereabouts of Badal," said a Police officer.

March 6: Two persons were arrested, for extorting money in the name of the CPI-Maoist, in Purulia District. "Two daily wage labourers- Khalil Ansari and Panchu Mahato- were arrested Sunday morning from Dikhshila village in Purulia Maffarsal Police Station area," SP Sunil Chowdhury said. Both were extorting money in the name of the Maoists. Initially people did not inform the police, fearing an attack by the Maoists, but then lodged a complaint after realising that the duo was duping them, said Chowdhury. 'Acting on the specific complaint, we rounded up them from their residences. They will be brought before a local court Monday,' said the SP.

Sarkar Hembram, a Police Constable, suspected to have been abducted by Maoist-backed PCPA cadres in West Midnapore District, remained untraced for the third day, Police said. "Search operations are being conducted in the area. We are trying our best to trace Constable, Sarkar Hembram," said SP Praveen Tripathi. Hembram was abducted on March 3, by the suspected PCPA cadres from his in-law's house in Beliabera in the District.

March 7: One CPI-Maoist-backed PCPA cadre, identified as Keshab Mahato was killed during an encounter reportedly between the PCPA cadres and the CPI-M supporters in the Jhargram region of West Midnapore District. According to the Police, the firing incident took place when around 50 PCPA cadres started hurling bombs and firing bullets at the houses of the 25 CPI-M supporters, in an attempt to prevent them from returning to their homes at Khaerboni village after they had earlier managed to escape from the area a few months back. "The sequence of events is still not very clear to us as by the time the forces reached the village, most of the people had fled. The body found at the spot was identified that of Keshab Mahato, resident of nearby Patashimul village," ASP of Jhargram Police District Mukesh Kumar said.

March 10: Sashadhar Mahato alias Kiran, a top ranking cadre of the CPI-Maoist, is suspected to have been killed in an encounter with the SFs in the Jhargram region of West Midnapore District. According to the District Police, SFs raided a Maoist hideout in Chandsora village, near Kushaboni forest, after receiving a tip-off about Mahato having been camping there with a group of Maoists. "As the security personnel were trying to cordon off the hideout, the Maoists became alert and opened fire on us. The forces retaliated, leading to an encounter that lasted about an hour before the Maoists fled from the area," ASP Mukesh Kumar, told The Hindu from the encounter site. "Top-ranking Maoist leader Sashadhar Mahato has been killed in an encounter and one AK 47 rifle has been recovered from him at Binpur under Jhargram Police Station," IG, CRPF, T B Rao said. Rao said one more person has been arrested, but his identity is not yet known and that the encounter and search operation is still going on.

March 11: Two decomposed bodies recovered are suspected to be that of Partha Biswas, intelligence branch inspector, and Soumyajit Basu, teacher cum an NGO worker, who were abducted by the CPI-Maoist cadres on October 24, from a place four kilometres west of Birbhum in Ayodhya area of Purulia District, were found lying in a ditch in Dhanchatani village in Ayodhya Hill area of the District.

March 12: The West Bengal Government will ensure full security to workers deputed for election duty in CPI-Maoist-affected Districts of West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia. The Chief Secretary Samar Ghosh told reporters in Kolkata that the full Security Force would be present. Ghosh said this in response to queries that people were refusing to go to the three Districts for fear. The elections to the three Districts, comprising 14 Assembly constituencies, will be held on May 10, the last day of the six-phase election schedule announced by the Election Commission for West Bengal.

The Police identified the arrested cadre as Biju Mahato alias Pilot, a close associate of CPI-Maoist ‘commander’ Sashadhar Mahato, killed in a gunfight on March 10. 'Biju was present alongside Sashadhar during the gunfight in Jamboni area (Thursday). He, however, escaped and took shelter in an adjacent village. He was arrested during combing operations,' ASP (operation) Mukesh Kumar said.

The GRP arrested three persons identified as Mantu Chowdhury, Manoj Jaiswal and Aravind Thakur, suspecting them to be carriers of the CPI-Maoist, from the Down Jamalpur Express reaching Howrah railway station in Kolkata District. Police recovered 50 gelatin sticks, 15 kg of ammonium nitrate and 10 detonators from their possession.

The CPI-Maoist has put up banners in West Midnapore District protesting the killing of their leader Sashadhar Mahato in an encounter with the Police in the District on March 10, the Police said. "Several banners and posters put up by the Maoists were found in Jhargram area. The banners say Mahato was killed in a ‘false encounter’ (staged shootout) with Police," said a Senior Police Official. Some of the banners carried threats against the Police Officers who were involved in the killing, he added. "We were informed about these banners and posters in some places of Jhargram. Police personnel have rushed to the spot," ASP Mukesh Kumar, said.

The CPI-Maoists have called for a 48-hour bandh (general shutdown) in West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar and Odisha from March 13, to protest the killing of its ‘commander’ Sashadhar Mahato.

March 15: Two cadres of the CPI-Maoist, including a woman squad cadre were arrested in two separate raids in West Bengal. "Acting on tip-off, we conducted raids and arrested Rajesh Murmu alias Buru from Koima village in Bankura District, while Saraswati Mandi was arrested from Chirudi village in Purulia District," SP (Bankura) Pranav Kumar, said. "Both were wanted in several cases, including murder, sedition and damaging Government property," said Kumar. Rajesh hails from Barigeria near Goaltore in West Midnapore District and is believed to be a close associate of Bikash, ‘state committee member’ of the outfit and was assigned to lead the Goaltore squad after the death of Sidhu Soren, the founder secretary of Maoist-backed PCPA in an encounter, said a Police Officer. Mandi, a resident of Harambara village, was a senior squad member of Maoist leader Arjun’s squad, he said.

March 19: The body of Sarkar Hembram, a Police constable abducted by suspected CPI-Maoist cadres on March 3, from the Jhargram region was recovered by the Police from Chotajammal village, based on information divulged by Debdulal, a Maoist squad member of the notorious Gautam Rana-squad, arrested from Ghritabani village in the Binpur area of West Midnapore District on March 18. According to Mukesh Kumar, ASP in Jhargram, the Forces received information in the evening of March 18 that a Maoist squad headed by Suchitra Mahato was hiding in Amapuli village in the Binpur Police Station area for the past two days. Suchitra is the wife of Sashadhar Mahato, who was killed in a gunfight with the Security Forces on March 10. "The group comprising squad members Hitler, China and Hero under Suchitra's leadership was camping at the edge of an open field in Amapuli village, barely 4 km from Chandsora village where Sashadhar was killed. As the CoBRA troopers of Central Reserve Police Force tried to cordon off the area, the Maoist sentry got alerted and fired. The Forces retaliated but the Maoists fled soon after leaving behind three rifles, one carbine, small firearms, a large quantity of ammunition and some important documents. Raids are still on to locate the whereabouts of the Maoists," Kumar said.

March 20: A CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Rajib Mahato was arrested from Ghiratakham village near Jhargram in West Midnapore District. On interrogation of the arrested cadre, Debdulal Mahato, the Police came to know the whereabouts of Rajib and arrested him. Rajib was a close aide of slain Umakanta Mahato, who was one of the prime accused in the Gyaneshwari Express sabotage, in which 148 people were killed (May 28, 2010),' ASP, (Operations) Mukesh Kumar said. Rajib used to operate in Jhargram, Beliabera and Binpur areas of the District. He was wanted to stand trial in several murders, including that of a Police constable, The ASP said. He was involved in a shootout in Kalaboni forested area, where Umakanta was shot dead by the joint Forces on August 27, 2010.

March 21: The Union Government has dispatched 30,000 Paramilitary Force personnel to West Bengal to assist the local authorities in ensuring free, fair and peaceful Assembly elections next month. The Central Forces have already been deployed in sensitive areas including CPI-Maoist-dominated West Midnapore District. "So far, situation in West Bengal is peaceful. The Forces have been sent to ensure that the election process goes peacefully," a Home Ministry official said. The six phased election to the 294-member West Bengal Assembly begins on April 18 and will end on May 10.

March 23: A cadre of the CPI-Maoist-backed PCPA was shot dead by suspected Maoist cadres in the Jhargram region of West Midnapore District. SP, Praveen Tripathi said Sambhu Mahato was killed reportedly after a dispute over the distribution of extortion money among the Maoists and PCPA cadres.

March 24: Restrictions on the movement of passenger trains at night in the Maoist-affected areas of West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand will continue till March 31, the South Eastern Railway (SER) said. "In view of security reasons, running of passenger trains on Kharagpur-Adra, Chakradharpur-Rourkela and Kharagpur-Tata sections will continue to remain suspended up to March 31 from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m," an SER release said.

March 29: Seven suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist including three women cadres were arrested by SFs in Kalsibhanga village in West Midnapore District. While four of the arrested Maoists were wanted in connection with several incidents of violence, Rita Mahato, Joshoda Mahato and her mother Pushpa Mahato were arrested for sheltering the Maoists in different areas under Salboni Police Station.

March 31: The Joint Forces and West Midnapore Police Force personnel raided Bhumishole forest in Lalgarh in West Midnapore District and recovered a cache of arms left behind by CPI-Maoist cadres. The Maoists themselves fled the forest just when the Joint Forces personnel came raiding. The arms recovered include five pieces of landmine equipment, bombs, a gun, wires, bulletproof jackets used by Police, splinters, detonators and 20 kilograms of explosives.

April 2: A teacher was shot dead by suspected CPI-Maoist cadres in West Midnapore District of West Bengal. The slain teacher, identified as Prabodh Mahato, was shot from close range when he was returning home after a bath in a nearby canal. According to Pravin Tripathi, SP of Jhargram sub-divisional municipality, Maoists and the Maoist-backed PCPA were suspected to be behind the attack.

Some CPI-Maoist posters protesting the killing of Maoist leader Sashadhar Mahato and demanding withdrawal of Joint Forces from the forest areas of three West Bengal Districts were found in many parts of Kolkata. According to the Police, the posters were found pasted on the walls of Mahanayak Uttam Kumar (Tollygunge) Metro station. The posters claimed that Mahato was killed in a false encounter and accused SFs of attacking tribal people, said a Police Official.

April 4: Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed a State Government employee and an activist of the ruling CPI-M near Jhargram in West Midnapore District. Mahato, a resident of Birihari village of Jhargram block, was posted at Jhargram. According to SP of Jhargram Police District, Pravin Tripathi, unidentified assailants pulled out Gagan Mahato (42) from the vehicle he was travelling on to his office in Jhargram town and fired at point-blank range. The Maoists are suspected to be behind the killing as they are trying to create an atmosphere of fear among people ahead of the Assembly elections," the SP said.

April 7: A few posters and banners of CPI-Maoist, urging the people to boycott the Assembly Elections in the State were spotted at Kanchrapara railway station in North 24-Parganas District. The Maoists urged the people to shun the "vote-hungry political parties, who survive on false promises". It requested the people to root out the ruling CPI-M from the State, branding it as Fascist. The Maoists demanded immediate withdrawal of the Operation Green Hunt from Junglemahal and other states. It criticised the Government for torturing common people in the name of counter-insurgency operations. The Maoists also demanded a commitment from the TMC Chief Mamata Banerjee on her promises of withdrawing joint operations in West Bengal and releasing Maoist political prisoners.

April 9: The Joint Forces during a combing operation arrested a cadre of the CPI-Maoist-backed PCPA identified as Sanjay Mahato (22), one of the accused in the Gyaneshwari Express derailment incident which killed 148 passengers on May 28, 2010, from Jaljali village under Jhargram Police Station of West Midnapore District. Jhargram ASP Mukesh Kumar said Sanjay was picked up from house at Barobigha village in Manikpara Phari during a combing operation. The CBI had announced a reward of INR 50,000 for information on his whereabouts. "We have informed the CBI about Sanjay's arrest," Kumar said.

April 11: A CPI-Maoist squad member, identified as Kalu Mahato was arrested from Niharia village near Jhargram in West Midnapore District. "Kalu Mahato was wanted for several murders and landmine explosions at Kharbandi and Murakhati areas of Jhargram. He will be produced before the Jhargram court on Tuesday [April 12]," said Jhargram SP Pravin Tripathi. Acting on a tip-off, the CRPF Battalion No. 184 raided Niharia forests and arrested Mahato. Mahato, according to Police, is the member of Maoist leader Goutam's squad. Police recovered one pipe gun, three rounds of 8mm and 20 rounds of 12-bore cartridges, five detonators and one challenger from him.

April 18: The Police recovered two decomposed bodies, suspected to be killed by the CPI-Maoist cadres in the Jhargram region of West Midnapore District, four months ago. The bodies were recovered on the basis of information received from a Maoist squad member, who was arrested on April 14, according to the District Police. "The decomposed bodies of two unidentified persons were recovered from Bhandarbilla village after the arrested Maoist, Parameshwar Roy, revealed during interrogation that two persons were killed and buried at the spot by the Goutam Rana squad around four months ago," Mukesh Kumar, ASP of Jhargram Police District, said. Kumar pointed out that several persons in the region were missing for months and a majority of such cases remained unreported by the victims' family members fearing Maoist reprisal. "We need to go through all the missing complaints to establish the identity of the two bodies," he added.

April 26: The West Bengal Police arrested a top cadre of the CPI-Maoist identified as Gautam Rana, an ‘area commander' of the Maoist squad, near Lodhasuli under Jhargram Police Station in West Midnapore District. Jhargram ASP Mukesh Kumar said Rama, wanted in several cases of murder and kidnapping, was picked up following a tip off. Police said Gautam Rana, a resident of Kharbandi village, was active in Sankrail in Jhargram and Beliabera areas. He was involved in several murders, including that of abducted Police constable Sarkar Hembram. He was also the key accused in the explosions at Kharbandi and Patashimul gram Panchayats. Rana was arrested in December 2009 but released on bail. He became an important member of the Maoist-backed PCPA. He went underground and joined a Maoist squad. The Police recovered two pistols, six rounds of cartridges and a motorcycle from his possession.

May 1: A decomposed body of a person, reportedly killed by the CPI-Maoist cadres, was recovered from a forested area in Jhargram in West Midnapore District. “The body was recovered on Sunday from a forested area in Jhargram. The body is yet to be identified,” ASP Mukesh Kumar said. “Arrested Maoist leader Gautam Rana has confessed that a man was killed a month back and later buried in the forest,” said Kumar. Rana, however, failed to recollect the name of the victim.

May 19: CPI-Maoist-backed PCPA wants to resume the dialogue process with the State Government. Manoj Mahato, former PCPA secretary said he trusts Mamata Banerjee, the new Chief Minister of the State and wants to resume the dialogue process.

Restrictions on the movement of passenger trains at night in the CPI-Maoist-affected areas of West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand will continue till May 26, the SER said in Kolkata. 'In view of security reasons, running of passenger trains on Kharagpur-Adra, Chakradharpur-Rourkela and Kharagpur-Tata sections will continue to remain suspended up to May 26 from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m,' an SER release said.

May 22: A fresh investigation was ordered into the attack on a camp of the EFR at Silda in West Midnapore District in February 2010, in which 24 troopers were killed after the latest recoveries of illegal arms from Purulia village in the same District, State Police officials said. "The arsenal number on an INSAS rifle that has been recovered today matches with that of one of the rifles looted in the Silda camp attack. So far we had been suspecting that Maoists were involved in the Silda attack, but now it seems that members of the CPI-M may have been involved," State DGP Naparajit Mukherjee told journalists. The INSAS rifle was recovered in a police raid carried out at Purulia village in West Midnapore. Police sources said that it was recovered from a field about 1.5 kilometres away from the local CPI-M office. "In the raid conducted in Purulia village, 35 weapons and 147 rounds of ammunition were recovered," District SP Manoj Verma said, adding that an AK-56 was among the firearms recovered.

May 22: Maoist sources suspect that the INSAS rifle snatched from the Silda camp last year and found near a CPI-M office in West Midnapore's Enayatpur was taken away from a Maoist killed in an encounter with the CPI-M.

May 28: The CPI-Maoist said that they would consider a proposal for talks with the Mamata Banerjee Government if the Chief Minister spelled out her stand on Junglemahal. "Immediately after the swearing-in ceremony, Banerjee said she was ready to hold talks to sort out problems in Junglemahal, but she did not speak about specific plans," West Bengal State Committee members of the Maoists Bikram and Bikas said in a faxed statement in Kolkata. "If she creates a favourable situation, we are ready to consider the proposal for joining talks," they said. The statement said, "If she comes out with a definite plan on these issues we will consider a proposal for talks with the government."

June 5: Police recovered the body of an unidentified person near Kushaboni forest in West Midnapore District. A CPI-Maoist poster saying the killing was in retaliation to the killing of Sashadhar Mahato was found along with the body. It also read that they will not spare anyone involved in the killing of Mahato, be it the Police, SF personnel or informers. The Maoists claimed the murdered person was a Police agent and hence he was punished for being an informer.

June 14: A hub of the CRPF's CoBRA and a training centre are being set up at Salboni in West Midnapore District. The hub will be spread over 143 acres, Alok Raj, IG, Operations, CRPF, said. "The land has been finalised and work has begun", said Alok Raj.

June 20: Senior officials in the Security establishment of the State feel there has been an ostensible "slow down'' of the Security Forces' offensive against CPI-Maoist in the State under the new Chief Minister. However, another official overlooking the anti-Maoist operations attributed it to the changed tactics of the Maoists, who are refraining from attacking the Central and State Police forces. A senior official of the CRPF confessed that the intelligence inputs provided by the State Police have come down after the formation of the new Government.

June 22: The CPI-Maoist-backed PCPA cadres are allegedly pushing workers of Trinamool Congress, the ruling party, to quit the party in a bid to create pressure on the Mamata Banerjee-led Government, Trinamool sources said. The PCPA wants the Government to expedite the release of political prisoners and push for withdrawal of central forces from Junglemahal, promises that Mamata had made in the run-up to the Assembly elections. Local Trinamool activists, who requested anonymity, said they had been threatened in at least 20 villages of Jhargram, Salboni, Sankrail and Kotwali areas of West Midnapore in the past three weeks. "Maoist armed squad leader Badal Mahato travels with his guerrillas at night and holds meetings. He tells villagers about Mamata Banerjee's promises. He says if the promises are not kept, they will wipe out Trinamool from Junglemahal," a Trinamool activist said. A Dherua-based Trinamool leader said that on June 2, a local PCPA leader had visited him at night and asked him to quit Trinamool and join the PCPA. The PCPA leader is known to have Maoist links.

PCPA leader Manoj Mahato, however, denied that Trinamool workers were being threatened. He said villagers in Junglemahal were demanding that Trinamool deliver on its promises.

District Trinamool Chairperson Mrigen Maity said: "We have received reports from our workers in Jhargram, Salboni, Sankrail and Kotwali areas that they are being threatened by Maoists and the PCPA. We will soon submit a report to the state Trinamool leadership."

June 23: Two landmines suspected to be planted by the CPI-Maoist cadres were found in the Simulpal area under Belpahari Police Station of West Midnapore District. The explosives were later defused.

July 1: CPI-Maoist-backed PCPA leader Manoj Mahto, who was released on bail just prior to the West Bengal Assembly elections in May, was arrested from his home at Birkar village under the Lalgarh Police Station in West Midnapore District on the charge of abduction of Jiten Mahato, a CPI-M leader.

July 2: The day-long bandh call given in the three Junglemahal Districts of West Bengal to protest the arrest of CPI-Maoist-backed PCPA leader Manoj Mahato evoked partial response. While parts of the West Midnapore and Bankura Districts witnessed partial closedown due to the bandh, there was hardly any response in Purulia District. The bandh was called by the Durnity O Samrajyobadi Agrason Birodhi Ganatantrik Mancha (Democratic Platform against Corruption and Imperialistic Invasion) - an outfit floated by members of the PCPA, just before the State Assembly elections after they announced the 'dissolution' of the PCPA.

July 3: The joint SF operating in the CPI-Maoist-affected West Midnapore District recovered a cache of arms belonging to the Maoists in an operation. "Acting on a tip-off, a joint-team of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the State Police conducted a raid in the forest area near Auspal village. Four firearms, 10 rounds of ammunition, two landmines and several explosive devices were recovered from the spot," Mukesh Kumar, ASP (Jhargram) said. However, no Maoist was arrested during the raid.

July 8: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee gave a call to the CPI-Maoist to lay down arms, saying her Government was 'always ready' for talks. "The Government will not act in a revengeful manner and is always ready for talks. Those willing to surrender will be offered rehabilitation and a special package," the CM said. Announcing a seven-point joint declaration with the Citizen's Forum, a conglomerate of social and human rights organisations, she said "arms have to be surrendered by all in West Bengal, including Junglemahal, and the State Government will take steps to recover arms." "The joint forces will be withdrawn from Junglemahal once it is free from arms and peace is restored," Banerjee said. She said the allegations of atrocities by the people living in Junglemahal against the erstwhile Left Front government would be investigated. Calling for democracy to prevail in Junglemahal, she said: "The Government will take steps to ensure safety and security of life. The right of the jungle should remain with the people living there."

Five companies of central forces have been withdrawn from Junglemahal and sent to Andhra Pradesh to control the Telangana agitation. At present, there are 35 companies of central forces in Junglemahal.

Mamata Banerjee said that her Government will release 46 prisoners who were arrested in connection with different cases of political violence in the state during the past few years. She also said that all these prisoners will be released within a day or two. These 46 people are out of a total of 83 who are in judicial custody and who had appealed to the court for recognition as "political prisoners". The court had granted the status to these prisoners well before the current Government came to power. Banerjee named six members of the civil society who would spearhead the Government's initiative.

July 9: A day after West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee invited CPI-Maoist to talk, Maoists said that CM Banerjee would first have to create a congenial atmosphere for dialogue. "If Mamata is serious about talks, she will have to create a congenial atmosphere and instil confidence among Maoists so that they can come forward to talk," Maoist sympathiser and poet Varavara Rao said. He said that to create confidence among Maoists, the State Government would first have to withdraw the joint forces engaged in anti-Maoist operations in Junglemahal, lift the Unlawful Activities (Prevent) Act, and release all political prisoners from jail. "The Government should release Maoist Central Committee members like Sushil Roy and Pati Paban Halder -- a demand which has repeatedly been made by Kishenji (Mallojula Koteswar Rao) and Azad [Cherukuri Rajkumar], who was treacherously killed," Rao said. Citing the example of Andhra Pradesh which in 2004 withdrew the elite Grey Hound Forces before inviting Maoists for talks, Rao said, "If the West Bengal Government is keen to solve the Maoist problem, it will have to take some positive steps."

July 12: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee asked youths of Junglemahal area to lay down arms and return to the mainstream. Without mentioning the word "Maoist" CPI-Maoist for once in her speech, Mamata said, "If you have to take up arms, take them up for the government", and offered Junglemahal youths 10,000 jobs in the National Volunteer Force, Police and Home Guards. "Don't be afraid of the joint security forces, they will not do any harm if there is no bloodshed and violence in Junglemahal," she said.

July 13: The CPI-Maoist have rejected CM Mamata Banerjee's dialogue offer to barter development with the surrender of arms. In a press release issued from Purulia, Maoist leader Bikram reminded the CM that Junglemahal remained more peaceful than elsewhere in the State since the change of guard in May, while "the CPM harmads and the green harmads of Trinamool Congress kept fighting among themselves in the rest of the state. She is asking us to lay down arms. But we want the harmads of all shades to surrender to the people," wrote Bikram. The Maoist leader further said: "The chief minister had promised that she won't come to Junglemahal with guns, but with development package. Mamata has gone back on her promise. She has been doing this everywhere - in Singur, Nandigram and Junglemahal."

July 14: The CPI-Maoist cadres in West Midnapore District have set one condition for not attacking supporters of the CPI-M provided they should not work as Police Informers. Akash, the secretary of the CPI-Maoist Bengal State Committee, said: "We have decided to spare the lives of the CPM supporters. They will not be harmed if they don't work as police informers."

July 15: The CPI-Maoist named Sudip Chongdar alias Kanchan, Himadri Sen Roy alias Somen and Patit Paban Halder, its three former state secretaries now behind bars in West Bengal, to represent them in case the State plans to go ahead with its proposed dialogue with the Maoists. "If Mamata Banerjee has difficulty in holding talks with us directly, she could, for a start, launch dialogue with these three leaders, who are also ideologues, after releasing them," said Maoist leader Bikram in a statement. "We have shown our interest in dialogues by maintaining ceasefire on our part, even though we did not declare it officially. Now Mamata, too, has to show her sincerity towards holding talks," said the Maoist spokesperson.

One villager was killed and SI Rajat Choudhary was injured, in an encounter between the Police and the CPI-Maoist cadres in Purulia District. With the Maoists running away after a 10-minutes encounter, the Police rescued Lakshmikanta Mahato, the abducted husband of a Congress Panchayat chief, who was left behind by the Maoists. The Maoists had demanded INR 150, 000 to release Lakshmikanta.

July 17: A CPI-Maoist leader identified as Biren Mahato was arrested from a village near Jhargram area in West Midnapore District. Biren was allegedly part of a Maoist squad that had held up the Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express at Banstala in the District for more than three hours in October 2009. The Police recovered a pistol and ammunition from him. Mahato was also wanted for the abduction and murder of two women in Muraboni in April 2011, killing of Rabindranath Mahato, the headmaster of a primary school at Indraboni in the District, on July 23, 2010, and for cases of extortion, abduction and sedition against him. "Biren used to lead a Maoist squad in West Midnapore's Manikpara-Sardiha area," SP Praveen Tripathi, said.

July 21: The West Bengal Government decided to create 6,900 posts in the State Home department, including 668 in Maoist-hit Jhargram Police District, and infrastructure for three CBI courts. Commerce and Industries minister Partha Chatterjee briefing reporters after a cabinet meeting said that of the 6,900 posts in the Home (Police) department, 1,740 would be recruited in the first phase. The cabinet also decided to provide infrastructure for setting up three special CBI courts. Two CBI courts would be set up in July and another in December, the minister said.

July 22: CM Mamata Banerjee in order to set for talks with the CPI-Maoist announced the release of two top Maoist leaders, identified as Chandi Sarkar and Pradip Chatterjee. Her Government has also decided to release 50 other political prisoners. State Appointed Interlocutor Sujato Bhodro said, "The release of the prisoners will encourage talks. And I can say that the sign from their end is also encouraging." "We are ready for talks but the Government has to free all political prisoners and remove joint forces from Junglemahal," said Maoist leader, Telgu Deepak.

July 26: The CPI-Maoist-backed PCPA and other Maoist-backed organisations held rallies in Jhargram and Kolkata where some of the activists burnt CM Mamata Banerjee's effigies. They accused her of betrayal over her Government's failure to release the PCPA leaders and withdraw joint forces from Jungle Mahal.

July 27: The Maoists sent a "letter" agreeing to talks, provided some conditions are met. Earlier this week, the Maoist State leadership had wanted to meet the Government's interlocutors to know Mamata Banerjee's "mind" before articulating their position on the chief minister's talks offer. The "letter" is believed to have followed such an interaction, which could not be independently confirmed from Maoist sources. It couldn't also be ascertained if the overture was a collective decision of the Maoist state leadership. The Government sources said some of the conditions were release of senior Maoists lodged in Bengal jails and leaders of the Maoist-backed PCPA, including Chhatradhar Mahato. The Maoists have also stuck to their earlier demand of withdrawal of "90-95 per cent of joint forces" in Jungle Mahal.

July 29: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee gave the "go-ahead" for talks with the CPI-Maoist after receiving a "positive response" from the Maoist leadership to the Government's peace initiative in Jungle Mahal. "The biggest stake-holders in the peace process have responded positively along with the others concerned. We have conveyed their demands to the government and the chief minister has given the go-ahead to continue our efforts to facilitate talks between the government and the stake-holders,'' civil rights activist Sujato Bhadra, who heads the panel of interlocutors, said after a meeting with Mamata at Writers' Building (State Secretariat). "However, several rounds of meetings will be needed to end the atmosphere of mistrust that has been created since 2009,'' he added.

August 1: The Centre cautioned the West Bengal Government against releasing two CPI-Maoist leaders - Chandi Sarkar and Pradeep Chatterjee - arrested in 2005 and 2008, respectively. In a letter sent to the State Government last week, the MHA suggested that the Trinamool Congress regime consult its agencies on the other political prisoners being considered for release.

August 3: Top CPI-Maoist leader Koteshwar Rao alias Kishan has again become active in Jungle Mahal area (West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura Districts), according to intelligence reports. "Kishenji was present in more than one meeting held in Lalgarh and adjacent areas in West Midnapore district in the last half of June, in all probability on June 22 and 23," the reports said.

The CPI-Maoist held a meeting in Balarampur in Purulia District and urged the people to rail against the State Government for its failure to eradicate poverty in the three Districts of Jungle Mahal (West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura).

August 4: A senior CPI-Maoist leader in West Bengal has said for the first time that the Maoists are ready to be part of any Government-appointed committee that would oversee development work in Jungle Mahal (West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura Districts). "We want the new government to form a committee to oversee development work in Jungle Mahal. We are ready to put our representatives in that committee," said a statement by Akash, the chief of the CPI-Maoist's Bengal chapter.

August 10: The TMC party is reportedly raising armed squads in interior parts of Jungle Mahal (West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia Districts of West Bengal) to counter attacks and extortion demands of the CPI-Maoist. Repeated incidents of Maoists threatening local TMC MLAs, including Churamoni Mahato and Srikanta Mahato, as well as attacks on state Western Region Development Minister Sukumar Hansda, have forced the TMC leaders to raise the squads. The armed squad raised by TMC leaders of Jamboni and Belpahari area in West Midnapore is locally known as 'Vairav Vahini'. Reportedly, the TMC has roped in PCPA cadres as well as Sidhu Kanho Gana Militia cadres who joined the TMC before the elections. The cadres are trained in handling arms and they have started training local villagers. Armed forces are being raised at Chandri and Baghjhapa in Jhargram, and Balidiha in Jamboni. Sisir Adkhikari, Union minister and senior TMC leader in charge of Jungle Mahal, said: "Maoists-backed PCAPA and militia members have been attacking our party workers everyday and extorting money. They have forcibly stopped political activities. We are trying to revive our booth-level and block-level committees to resist these attacks," he said, not specifying if they are armed.

August 11: CPI-Maoist cadres ambushed a CRPF patrol party and injured three troopers at Lakshmanpur forest in West Midnapore District, which is the first incident since the Mamata Banerjee Government came to power in West Bengal and expressed its willingness for talks to resolve problems. Police claimed that four to five Maoists were also injured when the CRPF personnel returned the fire and were believed to have been taken away by the Maoists. The incident is being seen as a major setback for the normalisation process with the new Government having already taken peace initiative despite reservations from Union Home Ministry and set up State Level Review Committee on political prisoners and agreed to release 52 of them.

August 12: Renewing her appeal to the CPI-Maoist cadres to give up arms and return to the national mainstream, CM, Mamata Banerjee announced a fresh financial and rehabilitation package for those who surrender in Calcutta. The package includes a revised incentive for every weapon laid down, a monthly stipend of INR 2, 000 for three years, a fixed deposit of INR 150,000 which can be withdrawn from the bank only after three years and State assistance for future employment which could include jobs provided by the Government. The CM said necessary instructions had been issued by her administration for the release of 50 of the 52 political detainees announced earlier.

August 16: CPI-Maoist-backed PCPA demanded a probe into the deaths of its leaders in alleged fake encounters during the Left Government's reign, the call apparently prompted by CPI-M leader Sushanta Ghosh's arrest.

The Bengal Maoists seem to be a divided lot. While a section of its leaders have advocated a go-slow policy in dealing with the new Mamata Banerjee Government the other section wants to step up agitation before the Trinamool Congress strikes its roots in Jungle Mahal. While leaders like 'State secretary' Akash and Vikash have welcomed Banerjee's decision to hold dialogue with the Maoist leadership, their jailed leaders like Telugu Dipak have called for an intensified stir if the new Government failed to keep its promise to release their jailed comrades.

August 18: CPI-Maoist cadres lodged in different jails in West Bengal are unlikely to be freed before the meeting of Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata on August 27. Mamata had announced that she intended to release 52 political prisoners including two Maoist cadres, but the Union Home Ministry had raised objections about their release.

Suspected Maoist cadres injured seven persons, including two TMC cadres and five of their family members, at Bordanga village in Nayagram area of West Midnapore District. At least 15-20 Maoist cadres went to the homes of Trinamool activists Bhabani Bhaduk and Timir Dandapath, assaulted them and their family members, and opened fire.

The Police arrested Rajani Barik, a local CPI-Maoist-backed PCPA leader, when local TMC leader Ujjal Dutta accused the PCPA being behind the attack.

SFs seized four landmines hidden by the Maoists in West Midnapore District after locals informed them about it. The personnel of the CRPF seized them and later a bomb disposal squad was called to defuse the explosives. The explosives were hidden near a bush along with utensils.

August 22: CPI-Maoist cadres killed Tapan Deswali, a supporter of the CPI-M from Tungbhedua village in Bhulabheda area of West Midnapore District. Maoist posters claiming that he was a Police informer were also found, Mukesh Kumar, ASP of Jhargram, said.

August 24: CPI-Maoist-backed PCPA observed a day-long bandh in the three districts of West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia in protest against the ruling party's alleged violence against people in the region, the recent police raid at PCPA's former convener Chhatradhar Mahato's house and to demand immediate release of all political prisoners. Incidentally, the bandh came the very day after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee tabled her government's report card for the first 90 days where she claimed to have been able to bring peace in the three Jungle Mahal Districts through special packages for the development of the region.

About 10 CPI-Maoist cadres shot dead Rabindranath Mishra, an activist of the ruling TMC party at Dhangri under Jhargram Police Station area in West Midnapore District. The Maoists had called for a 24-hour bandh in Jungle Mahal area, alleging that the Janajagaran Manch was functioning as a Government agency and had been engaged in thwarting the democratic rights of the tribals.

A group of Maoist cadres lodged in Krishnagar jail in Nadia District went on hunger strike demanding repeal of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, release of political prisoners, and withdrawal of central forces from Jungle Mahal and quick disposal of cases.

August 25: The Jhargram Police arrested a suspected Maoist, Sushen Routh, from Chandabila area under Nayagram Police Station in West Midnapore District.

Expressing concern over Maoists again assembling in certain areas of West Bengal, intimidating people and even resorting to violence, which recently claimed the lives of two persons in West Midnapore District, CM Mamata Banerjee said that she still believed good sense would prevail on them. "They can talk, discuss, negotiate, but murder is a criminal offence," she said even as she welcomed those among them who wanted to return to the national mainstream. "No one has the right to murder," she emphasised.

The Chief Minister announced that her Government would provide a compensation of INR 200,000 to each of the families of the civilians whose kin were killed in Maoist attacks to be supplemented with the INR 300,000 financial assistance available from the Centre. "Besides this package for civilian families, we are also considering providing either a government job to a member or a monthly pension," Banerjee said.

Her Government was working towards solving the problem of LWE through development and pursuing the peace process, Banerjee said, adding, "I do not believe in the politics of killing."

August 26: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee gave the go-ahead for talks with the CPI-Maoist, to the group of interlocutors whom she had appointed for holding discussion. Bringing the "main stakeholders to the discussion-table with the government, is the main objective" civil rights activist Sujato Bhadra, who leads the group of interlocutors, said.

August 29: The West Bengal State Committee of the CPI-Maoist has written an open letter to Surya Kanta Mishra, Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, that suggests the outfit's involvement in the "downfall" of the Left Front "from Nandigram to Junglemahal" and criticises the Left Front for its opposition to the Maoists. A copy of the letter, signed by Akash, Secretary of the State Committee of the CPI-Maoist, was distributed to journalists by Mishra. Mishra, however, did not give undue importance to the letter.

The Kolkata city Police launched a fresh investigation into the recovery of 5000 rounds of .315-bore ammunition at APC Road in June 28, 2010, where the trail led to Chandrakona and Ghatal. Curiously, though the STF carried out the initial probe, the "case was charge sheeted" (or investigations were closed) by the narcotic cell of detective department suggesting a "Maoist hand" behind it and slapping charges against three persons - all Bihar residents - and a local linkman in Tangra in east Kolkata.

August 30: One contractor came forward to submit tender papers for constructing a hostel and additional class rooms in Jungle Mahal area (West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura Districts), which was the first major development initiative by the new Government in the area. The authorities were forced to cancel the process, as no Government project could be initiated unless at least three companies or contractors participate in the tendering process. Contractors "perhaps" did not come forward because the CPI-Maoist influence, said some officials working in the area.

September 1: Angry villagers set two motorbikes of the CPI-Maoist-backed PCPA cadres on fire and vandalized a Tata Sumo before pushing it into a pond when the PCPA cadres went to Dhanguri village under Sankrail Police Station in West Midnapore District to bring in villagers to a rally at Ramakrishna Vidyalaya ground in Lalgarh and beat people who refused to attend the rally. The Democratic Forum against Terror, Corruption and Imperialistic Aggression organised the rally at the venue to protest against the Government's policies.

Some TMC party supporters have been accused of attacking a bus driver and vandalising the vehicle that was on its way to ferry people to the Lalgarh rally organised by Maoist sympathisers. The alleged TMC supporters intercepted the empty private bus that was proceeding to West Midnapore's Sankrail, 60km from Lalgarh, to fetch the participants.

September 2: Unable to give more weightage to scheduled tribes while recruiting Police constables from Jungle Mahal (West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura Districts), the Government has decided to recruit more number of Home Guards and National Volunteer Force instead. Earlier, it had been decided that 8,000 junior Police constables would be recruited and the rest, 2,000 will be home guards and NVFs. Since there is no such bar on home guards and NVFs, the state Cabinet approved that 1,145 home guards and 3,855 NVFs will be recruited from Jungle Mahal to fulfil the chief minister's promise.

September 3: Three suspected CPI-Maoist cadres were arrested from the Jhargram region of West Midnapore District. According to the Police, a country-made pistol and five rounds of ammunition were recovered from them "On the basis of specific intelligence input, security personnel raided a house at Jira village in the Pukuria area under the Jhargram station early in the day.

The CPI-Maoist made a precondition before they agree to any peace dialogue with the West Bengal Government - disarm vigilante groups in the Junglemahal area comprising the three Districts of West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia. "Several armed groups have cropped up in the Junglemahal area. Some groups are operating legally, but are trying to procure arms. The main stakeholders (read Maoists) have demanded the Government should first try to disarm them," said activist Sujato Bhadra. Bhadra is heading the six-member interlocutor team appointed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on July 7 to initiate peace talks with the Maoists.

September 12: The Police arrested a Maoist-backed PCPA leader, accused in a case of abduction of two Police constables from the Lalgarh region in 2009, from Patharpara in West Midnapore District. The constables remain untraced till date.

A Maoist, identified as Lakhikant Mahato, was surrounded and handed over to the Police by the villagers in Madhuban area in Jhargram subdivision in the District while he was threatening locals with dire consequences.

September 13: The CPI-Maoist cadres assaulted 30-40 villagers in Mahatobandh village in Belpahari in West Midnapore District after they refused to join the Maoist squad. One of the villagers of was seriously injured in the incident. After the Police reached the spot, the Maoists fled away to the neighbouring Jharkhand, ASP Alok Rajoria said.

The CPI-Maoist appears to have made a climb down from their stand of getting political prisoners freed as a condition for talks with the Mamata Banerjee Government. Bandimukti Committee convener Chhoton Das, who is also one of the interlocutors appointed by the Chief Minister to mediate with the Maoists in Jungle Mahal, said in Kolkata that the Maoists are now insisting on two conditions: the operations by the joint forces must stop and the private armed groups which have mushroomed in Junglemahal in recent months must be disarmed.

"Maoists know that if talk's progress, the release of prisoners would follow automatically," Das said. Earlier, however, the Maoists had demanded release of prisoners before the talks begin. About 10 members of CPI-Maoist are behind the bars across the State, said Das. Sixty-six tribals are also languishing in different jails for alleged Maoist links - 36 of them in Midnapore jail, 21 in Bankura and nine in Purulia.

September 16: Some top cadres of the CPI-Maoist, including State-level leader Akash, held a meeting at Salboni in West Midnapore District where in the Maoists leaders warned the villagers that if they accept the jobs of Special Police or home guards, they will be trapped by the Government. Earlier the Maoist cadres pasted posters in Belpahari and other parts of Jangal Mahal warning villagers regarding applying for Special Police and National Volunteers Force posts.

September 19: SFs got engaged in a gunfight with suspected CPI-Maoist cadres in the dense forests at Ayodhya Hills in Purulia District. The forces had cordoned off the area and no casualties were informed till late evening. According to sources, Purulia Police had detained one Taruni Tudu a couple of days back. Interrogation of Tudu gave Police some leads on the movement of Maoist 'commander' Bikram. Police had information that Bikram would be in the belt for a meeting at Bersa forest.

Normal life was affected by the 24-hour bandh called by Maoist-backed PCPA in Jungle Mahal (West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia) area.

CM Mamata Banerjee is trying hard to initiate a dialogue with Maoists and for that attempts are on to rope in more interlocutors. In order to find a way out of the cycle of violence and to keep tabs on latest developments, the CM held a meeting to accelerate development projects in Jungle Mahal. The State Government is planning to contact Binayak Sen and request him to help it start a dialogue with the Maoists in Jungle Mahal. A letter in this regard has been kept ready to be sent to Sen, said a source. When contacted Sen said, "I will think about it if they write to me."

September 20: CPI-Maoist cadres shot dead a local TMC leader in the Jhargram area of West Midnapore District. "A group of armed assailants waylaid Lalmohan Mahato when he was on his way to give tuitions at Pukuria village, and fired at him from point-blank range. He died on the spot. Posters claiming that Mahato was killed by the Maoists to avenge his attempt to build resistance against left-wing extremists were found at the spot," said Gaurav Sharma, Superintendent of Police of Jhargram Police District. The killing was carried out allegedly by members of a Maoist squad, led by Jayanta, that operates in the Jhargram region.

People's Literary Cultural United Forum said they will send a fact-finding team to Jungle Mahal and hold a public meeting in Jhargram the day next. Vara Vara Rao of Revolutionary Writers Association, Gautam Navlakha of PUDR and Saroj Giri, a Delhi University professor will be present in both. The Forum also stressed for the withdrawal of joint forces, repeal of UAPA and cancellation of plans to recruit 10,000 tribal youths in Police forces.

Maoist sympathiser Vara Vara Rao accused West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee of retracting from her poll promises and said her party was raising another Salwa Judum.

The Maoists have embarked on a civic action programme in Purulia, West Midnapore and Bankura, running makeshift dispensaries and schools.

September 23: CPI-Maoist cadres recapturing their lost ground in Jungle Mahal area (West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura Districts), senior PWD officials at Writers' Building are apprehending trouble in implementing projects that are a part of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's Jungle Mahal package. The department has 22 bridge and road projects that are to be implemented in West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia Districts. The total estimated cost of these projects is INR 968.9 million. This year, a sum of INR 441.3 million is expected to flow for the project, while INR 199.9 million was already released in the last financial year. "We are not sure that the projects can be implemented without any resistance from the ultras," the official said. Not a single construction agency has responded to the first "Notice Inviting Tenders (NIT)" for executing two major bridge construction projects in Junglemahal because of Maoist threat.

September 24: After back-to-back killings of two TMC leaders by CPI-Maoist cadres in Jungle Mahal area, party general-secretary Mukul Roy and Tamluk MP Subhendu Adhikari are going to lead a 6-Kilometer rally in Jhargram to protest the killing spree and demand that the Maoists re-join the often-protracted negotiations with the Government-appointed interlocutors. While TMC leader Lalmohan Mahato was killed on September 20, Rabindranath Mishra was shot dead on August 24 in the same area.

September 25: The founder secretary of Jharkhand Janamukti Morcha, Babu Bose, was shot dead at Binpur in West Midnapore District. Though no arrest has been made, Police suspect that he was killed by the CPI-Maoist cadres. Bose was talking to some people at Dohijuri market when two persons came on a motorcycle and shot him dead.

Five suspected Maoists - Kailash Modok, Kinkor Modok, Gautam Modok, Jagat Mondal and Dipak Mandal - were arrested by Arsa Police from Raheredi village in Purulia District. Purulia SP Sunil Chaudhury said the five were arrested for making threatening phone calls.

Mamata Banerjee claimed that the Maoists wanted to kill her and union minister Mukul Roy, besides other TMC leaders. "A few days back, some Maoists were seen around my house. They threatened to kill me. They have also threatened to kill Mukul and my party leader Srikanta Mahato. A few days back they held a rally in Junglemahal where a Maoist leader said all Trinamool leaders are their targets," Banerjee said. "We had a commitment. We wanted negotiations for a peaceful solution to the problem. But now I personally feel no negotiations are possible. When we are trying to create an atmosphere for talks, they are trying to break such negotiations. Peace cannot be a one way process," a Banerjee added.

September 25: Governor M K Narayanan said the Maoists had not responded to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's offer for talks. "The Chief Minister has given them an offer for talks but they have not responded," the Governor told reporters on the sidelines of a function in Kolkata.

September 26: The Joint Forces and the Police arrested a leader of CPI-Maoist-backed PCPA from Cherabani under Binpur Police Stations in West Midnapore District. Police sources said the arrested PCPA leader, Dilip Mahato, had links with the Maoists.

CM Mamata Banerjee sent out a stern warning to Maoists saying they can't remain janus-faced and continue their killing spree while complaining about the state's human rights violations and Police excesses. "The initiative for talks can't go together with killings. You (Maoist) have to decide the future course. Who has given you the right to kill? Those who complain against police excesses as violation of human rights should clarify whether their ghastly killings conform to human rights," said Banerjee, whose rise to power started with the campaign against the land acquisition in Singur, a cause Maoists also backed.

The State cabinet decided to set up 20 centres that will train the tribal youths of Maoist-affected Jungle Mahal region (West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura Districts) who will be recruited as special Police constables.

September 28: A day after asking the CPI-Maoist to choose between talks and killing, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called a meeting on September 29 with interlocutors whom she authorised to explore avenues for dialogue with the Maoists in Jungle Mahal. State secretariat sources said the meeting would be held at the State secretariat to review the situation arising out of a spurt in Maoist violence in the three Districts of West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia comprising Jungle Mahal.

October 1: The CPI-Maoist rejected CM Mamata Banerjee's peace talks offer and demanded immediate withdrawal of Joint Forces from the State. "We are serious about peace talks and ready for a ceasefire. We had given specific proposals to the two interlocutors on our first meeting. But the Government has to stop anti-Maoist operations by the joint forces and show willingness for peace," CPI-Maoist leader Akash said in an open letter to CM Banerjee. He accused Trinamool Congress of resorting to violence and extortion in the Jungle Mahal area. Akash said although the State Government claims that the Joint Forces operations are on hold, the Paramilitary is still carrying on the operation of hunting down Maoists in a clandestine manner. "If the Government is really keen on peace talks and want to create a congenial atmosphere, it will also have to neutralise private gangs like Janajagaran Mancha and Bhairav Bahini," the letter, a copy of which was made available to the media, said.

October 2: Two landmines, believed to be embedded with sensors, were defused at Saroa village in Salboni area of West Midnapore District. Local villagers said while one was spotted on a culvert, the other was lying barely 300 meters away from it. Police said the joint operation is already under way and such a tactic by the CPI-Maoist to cause collateral damage can't be ruled out in the near future too. The place where the mines were placed is an important transit point for the forces and is frequented by villagers. Police later launched a search operation and recovered 10 sacks full of sulphur and sodium nitrate from Kendudanga village under Sankrail Police Station.

Suspected CPI-Maoist cadres abducted the son of a TMC leader in the Banspahari area of West Midnapore District. However, the youth was later found by CRPF personnel from a nearby forest on October 3.

The Union Home Ministry has asked the West Bengal Government to relieve more than 1,000 CAPF personnel in an apparent message that the authorities were not making proper use of them for anti-Naxal operations. In a letter, the Union Home Ministry asked West Bengal to relieve one of the six battalions sent to the State to conduct anti-Naxal operations in Maoist-hit West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura Districts, official sources said. "Most of the central forces are sitting idle and so there is no point keeping them in West Bengal. The main purpose of sending the forces to the state was to conduct anti-Naxal operations. Since they are not deployed for the job, we want to move them to Chhattisgarh," a source said.

October 4: The CPI-Maoist said that they would restrain use of arms for one month if the Government suspended joint operation in Jungle Mahal to create a congenial atmosphere for talks. "If there is no joint operation in the area then we will restrain arms for one month," a joint statement signed and issued by Akash- spokesperson of Maoist state Committee besides Sujato Bhadra and Chhoton Das, the two interlocutors, said. "The government will have to decide whether they will suspend joint operation for a month and create a congenial atmosphere for talks," Bhadra said.

The West Bengal Government said that it would await a formal communication from Maoists before responding to the one-month ceasefire offer made in a joint statement by its leader Akash and interlocutors Sujato Bhadra and Chhoton Das.

Mamata Banerjee is reportedly unhappy with the Maoists for having gone public with a statement offering ceasefire without informing the Government about it but she is willing to hear out their case.

October 8: The interlocutors appointed by the West Bengal Government seem convinced that the CPI-Maoist is serious about pursuing ways to bring peace to the region. "Both the main stakeholders as well as the government are serious in pursuing peace as are the people of Jangalmahal," said Sujato Bhadra, one of the main interlocutors for talks with the Maoists, talking to media in the wake of the CPI-Maoist's truce offer that was made public earlier this week.

Three of the six teams of the CoBRA which were sent to Jharkhand in July, will be returning to the State shortly. Soon after their return, they will be deployed in Jungle Mahal area.

SFs arrested Bhagwat Hansda, central committee member of the Maoist-backed PCPA in a combing operation in Binpur on October 8. Two CRPF battalions were scheduled to be withdrawn this month. But it was stalled following a request by the State.

October 10: "We are engaged in full-scale operations against Maoists in Jangalmahal," said a senior Police officer at Writers' Building, the state secretariat, on condition of anonymity. "Operations are being scaled up to track down top Maoist leaders who are frequenting the Lalgarh-Jhargram belt," the officer added. Operations were conducted in Lalgarh recently to arrest the elusive Maoist leader Koteswar Rao alias Kishenji.

October 12: The CPI-Maoist slammed the State Government's move to recruit 10,000 Police constables from Jungle Mahal and termed it as a "conspiracy hatched by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee". A statement signed by one Akash, who identified himself as CPI-Maoist state committee secretary, read: "She (Mamata Banerjee) wants to give arms to the tribal population and we are apprehending that she will bring the Salwa Judum back in West Bengal by violating the verdict of the Supreme Court." "We also want that unemployed youths should be employed. But they can be done in other ways by employing the youths in education, health and several other departments," the statement added.

October 14: In a statement purportedly issued by the State CPI-Maoist leadership, the seriousness of the West Bengal Government over holding peace talks with the outfit has been questioned. The statement comes two days ahead of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's arrival in Jungle Mahal where Maoists have been active recently. She is scheduled to address a rally at Jhargram in West Midnapore District on October 15. "As of now, there has been no indication from the Chief Minister of a reaction to the interlocutors' proposal (appointed by the State for talks with the Maoists) for a ceasefire by the two sides (the State and the Maoists) and for suspending joint security operations (against the Maoists)," said Akash, the State Committee secretary of the CPI-Maoist, in the statement dated October 12.

October 15: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee gave CPI-Maoist a seven-day deadline to lay down arms, saying violence would not be tolerated any more. "I am giving you (Maoists) a seven-day ultimatum to lay down guns. Think over it. We will not tolerate any more violence. Killings and negotiations cannot go hand in hand," she told a rally at the Jhargram stadium of West Midnapore District. Condemning killings by Maoists and gunning down of two Trinamool Congress leaders in Jungle Mahal recently, Banerjee said, "We have started the peace process, stopped joint operations for over four months, expecting peace to return... But they (Maoists) have not kept their word and continued the killing spree." She said if peace returned to Jungle Mahal, there would be no need of joint security operations.

October 16: A day after West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's seven-day ultimatum to the CPI-Maoist to choose between guns and negotiation, Maoist posters were seen in Jungle Mahal threatening the TMC leaders of dire consequence if their pre-poll promise of withdrawing joint SFs and releasing jailed extremists was not kept. The three handwritten red posters, pasted on walls at Bhadutala market of Salboni in West Midnapore District, were in Bengali. "If the promises are not kept the lives of Trinamool Congress leaders will be under threat," a poster read.

October 15: The West Bengal Government has sought additional two battalions of CAPF from the Union Home Ministry, indicating that it was getting ready to launch full-fledged operations against the CPI-Maoist. Official sources said the request came on the eve of CM Mamata Banerjee giving a seven-day deadline to the Maoists to lay down arms, saying violence would not be tolerated any more.

October 18: Within 48 hours of CM Mamata Banerjee's seven-day ultimatum to the CPI-Maoist to lay down arms and come to the negotiating table, joint Police Forces and Maoist squads exchanged fire at the Banksole forest in West Midnapore District. It was an "intelligence based operation". The police seized a .303 rifle, 10 live cartridges, three empty cases, a detonator and Maoist literature and transistors, said Gaurav Sharma, SP, Jhargram.

When asked if there was any mandate from the government to launch such an operation when the Chief Minister had given a seven-day ultimatum to the Maoists, Alok Rajoria, Additional SP (Operations), Jhargram said: "If there is an armed movement, we have to operate." Vivek Sahai, IG, CRPF said, "We have no order to restrict our operations. The operations are on."

The confrontation came on a day the CM talked to Government-appointed interlocutors at Writers' Buildings to discuss the peace process with the Maoists. In Kolkata, chief interlocutor Sujato Bhadra said after the discussions with Mamata Banerjee that "the dialogue process is on and will continue". According to sources, during the closed-door meeting, the CM is said to have asked the interlocutors to get a written statement from a Maoist central committee member that during the peace process, there will be no killing in Jungle Mahal and display of armed action.

CM Banerjee held a meeting with Maoist interlocutors and asked them to convince the Maoists to give a written undertaking saying that they (Maoists) will surrender arms and stop killing innocent people in Jangalmahal. But the Maoists on October 19 made it clear that they have no confidence on the chief minister's initiative to hold talks with them to bring back peace and normalcy in the region. Maoist state secretary Aakash said the bandh "has been called to give a befitting reply to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's refusal to address the issues we have raised for development of Jangalmahal."

The Centre has extended its support to West Bengal Government, when needed, to deal with Maoist menace. "The Chief Minister (Mamata Banerjee) is competent enough to handle the situation and as and when she requires support, we will extend that," Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said.

October 19: The CPI-Maoist called for a 24-hour bandh in Junglemahal area on October 22, the day the deadline given by CM Mamata Banerjee to the Maoists ends. The bandh will be held in West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura Districts, adds Zee News. "Make the bandh in Junglemahal on Saturday a success against the injustice meted out to the people of the area," Maoist state committee secretary Akash, said in an open letter. Akash, also the Maoist spokesman, alleged the State Government was "unleashing terror" in the name of peace in Junglemahal.

October 20: SFs recovered 37 brand new gelatine sticks in Gurishole forest at Kanta Pahari, while patrolling in West Midnapore District. "Around 5 am today [October 20], the security forces, with the help of sniffer dogs, found the gelatine sticks under a heap of dried eucalyptus leaves," a CRPF officer said.

A suspected CPI-Maoist cadre was arrested from near Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence in South Kolkata. The alleged Maoist, identified as Prakash Acharya is a resident of Lodha Suli in West Midnapore District. He has five murder and three landmine cases against him. However, Acharya claimed that he had gone to Chief Minister's residence to surrender. The Police sources said that he was being interrogated by the Kolkata Police and STF.

October 22: Security personnel recovered a landmine hidden in a container in Jhargram area in West Midnapore District.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's seven-day deadline to the CPI-Maoist to disarm expires. Bengal Labour Minister Purnendu Bose, assisting the CM on tackling the Maoist menace, told TOI, "If the ultras (Maoists) deny people their right to life, the government won't sit quietly. We still want a dialogue with them. But, joint operations will be conducted when required." Meanwhile, security has been heightened across Junglemahal areas. Six CRPF battalions, one each of CoBRA and Nagaland Police battalions are deployed in Junglemahal areas.

The State Government asserted that it was still open to talks with the rebels. "In a democracy, there must be some options open. We can discuss, we can negotiate…If they [the Maoists] listen, it is good," said Banerjee in New Delhi while referring to the left-wing extremists as "brothers and sisters." The Chief Minister's remarks come at a time when there are distinct signs of the joint Security Forces preparing for a fresh and sustained offensive against the rebels in the Jangalmahal region after a lull in operations since the Trinamool Congress-led Government assumed power on May 20, 2011.

Schools and colleges stayed open and markets were crowded in most parts of Jungle Mahal despite a Maoist bandh call, with senior officials describing the people's defiance of the rebels as unprecedented. In a double blow to the guerrillas, hundreds of youths from the Maoist zones of Purulia, Bankura and West Midnapore queued before Police Stations to collect job application forms, answering a recruitment call by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. It prompted a Senior Police officer to wonder if "change" was in the air. "It may be too early to say," He added cautiously, "but what we are witnessing today is very promising."

October 23: Two Maoists allegedly involved in putting up posters against Western Region Development Minister Susanta Hansda, were arrested from their homes at Grithokham village in the District. The two arrestees identified as Khokan Mahato alias Debang and Biswajit Mahato were also accused in cases of murder, attempt to murder, putting up road blocks and setting ablaze houses.

In another incident at Goaltore, several hand written posters of the Maoists were found by the joint forces demanding release of Maoist prisoners, withdrawal of joint forces and resignation of TMC MLA and leaders from Jungle Mahal area, the Police said. According to the posters, the Maoists highlighted that pre-poll promises were not kept by the State Government. Setting two specific demands, the Maoists called for the removal of Joint Forces and also demanded the list of 52 political prisoners to be released, which Mamata Banerjee had announced a few months ago. The Police have removed the posters and patrolling by joint forces has been intensified in the area.

Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said a special package for the Maoist-hit areas of West Midnapore had been finalised. "The chief minister has requested that such funding be extended to two more Jungle Mahal areas (Purulia and Bankura). I will speak to the Union Home Minister (P. Chidambaram) about this," he said in Calcutta.

October 24: The team of interlocutors appointed by the West Bengal Government to explore the possibility of peace talks with the CPI-Maoist submitted a note summarizing the discussions the interlocutors had with both the sides since it was formed in July. The note was sent to the Government and the State leadership of the CPI-Maoist.

October 28: The peace talks between the West Bengal Government and the CPI-Maoist came to an end with the Maoists calling them "misleading and senseless". A letter from CPI-Maoist state secretary Akash to Sujato Bhadra, the leader of the six-member team of interlocutors, says the "peace talks" referred to by Mamata Banerjee Government frequently did not make any sense.

Security Forces recovered a powerful landmine suspected to have been planted by Maoists in the Jhitka forest along the road leading to Lalgarh from Binpur in West Midnapore District, a short while before TMC MP Subhendu Adhikari and party local MLA Srikanta Mahato were to pass by. Besides the landmine, 300 metres of electric wire, three detonators, a few iron balls and some gelatine sticks were also recovered from the area.

October 30: After the CPI-Maoist rejected her talks offer, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee opened another channel to convince them to come to the negotiation table to settle the Jungle Mahal issue amicably. Union Minister of State for Shipping Mukul Roy will hold talks with the wife of arrested PCPA leader Chhatradhar Mahato, Niyati, and some other officials of the organisation in Kolkata on November 3. Apart from Niyati, the secretary of the Santras Birodhi Committee (anti-terrorism committee) Ashok Jiban and Nari Ijjat Bachao Committee (Committee for Women Upholding Dignity) Jyotsna Mahato will also join talks with Roy for talks at the Nizam Palace in Kolkata. During November 3 meeting, the secretary of the All-India Legal Aid Forum and a Supreme Court advocate Joydeep Mukherjee will be a mediator.

October 31: A Maoist, Shibnath Mahato, wanted in connection with several criminal cases, was arrested from Ergoda in West Midnapore District. Mahato was a Maoist action squad member and had links with the PCPA.

November 1: A landmine was found near to the place where TMC MP Subhendu Adhikari was scheduled to address a rally in West Midnapore District.

November 2: A Maoist, identified as Prashanta Mahato, was arrested by joint forces from Ghritokham village under Jhargram sub-division in West Midnapore District. Prashanta belonged to the action squad led by Jayanta and was involved in the murder of five persons including a CPI-Marxist worker in the District.

November 4: A local TMC leader, identified as Jitu Singh Sardar, was killed by Maoists in Balarampur area of Purulia District. The victim was an active member of the committee to resist anti-development activities in Jungle Mahal area. After this incident, Mamata Banerjee said she would review the decision of suspending anti-maoist operations.

Following the abduction of some ration-dealers in Purulia and Bankura by suspected Maoists for agreeing to distribute rice at INR 2 a kilogram among the tribals, the State food and supplies department has decided to use Police cooperatives for distribution.

November 5: Police arrested Joydeb Mahato, spokesperson of the Maoist-backed PCPA, from a village in Jhargram in West Midnapore District. Mahato, who is wanted in 11 murder cases, is believed to have played a pivotal role in mobilizing support for the PCPA over the last year or so, and played a binding role in its organizational set-up. Maoist literature and IED-making material was found from his possession.

November 6: Maoists fired at a TMC rally in Jhargram's Masangdihi village and injured one party worker. The rally was taken out to mobilise support for party MP, Subhendu Adhikary's November 12 rally near Jhargram. A motorbike, few Maoist posters, a pistol and four IEDs were found at the forest nearby during the combing operation following the attack.

A husband and wife duo, Durjodhan Rajkowar and his wife Lalita, members of a Maoist squad operating in the Ayodhya Hills of Purulia District surrendered before the District Police.

November 10: The Mamata Banerjee Government gave the green signal for operations against the CPI-Maoist in Jungle Mahal. The CMO issued the order to for an all-out assault. Senior officers have been told to target senior leaders and the chief minister has sought immediate results, said an official.

Police sources said an IPS officer would be posted at each sensitive Police Station in the Maoist belt. The CMO has allocated land for permanent bases of central forces in Jungle Mahal and requested for the recall of the CoBRA commandos sent to Jharkhand after the anti-Maoist operations were stalled in West Bengal. The process of recruiting fresh IPS officers in the Maoist-hit West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia has started.

Pushing for development in Maoist strongholds, Union Minister Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh will be visiting Jungle Mahal along with CM Mamata Banerjee to assess the situation in the Maoist hotbed and prepare an action plan for the area.

SFs detected three landmines, suspected to have been planted by the Maoists, at Labhadhara area in West Midnapore District. A large number of Maoist posters were also found in the area, they said. The discovery of landmines came ahead of TMC MP Subhendu Adhikary's scheduled anti-Maoist rally in Jhargram on November 12, with Labhadhara lying enroute.

Ahead of CM Mamata Banerjee's visit to Purulia and Bankura Districts, Police arrested two suspected Maoists from the Ghatghora area in Purulia District. They are believed to be part of the Ayodhya Hills Squad of the CPI-Maoist, the Police said.

The IB reported that 11 TMC political leaders - including ministers, an MP and MLAs - are on the Maoist hit list. The State Government has now decided to enhance the security of all those who figure in the list.

The six-member interlocutor team appointed by CM Mamata Banerjee to bring the Maoists and the West Bengal government to the negotiating table wanted to quit their job.

November 11: The SFs arrested four persons, including Maoist leader, Somen Maity who is the 'area commander' of Lalgarh and Salboni, in a raid conducted at a village in the Salboni Police Station area of West Midnapore District. Of the three others apprehended during the raid, one person was arrested for providing shelter to the Maoists and the others are Maoist cadres. Five weapons that had been looted during the attack at Silda - an AK-47, a carbine and three INSAS rifles -- were among the weapons recovered during the operations. The Police have also recovered seven improvised firearms.

The CPI-Maoist State Secretary Akash advised Singur's farmers to reoccupy the plots taken away from them during the Left Front Government to set up the Tata Motors Limited car factory. CPI-Maoist also asked the State Government to distribute 5,000 acres of land, earmarked for the Jindal Steel and Power Ltd's project at Salboni in West Midnapore, among local farmers and declare the area a no industry zone.

Addressing a public rally at Balarampur of Purulia District, CM Mamata Banerjee told the people, "you shall get whatever you ask for, provided you don't support the Maoists".

November 13: Asit Mahato, one of the prime suspects in the Jnaneswari Express derailment that claimed 149 lives on May 28, 2010, was arrested from a village in the Salboni Police Station area in West Midnapore District.

Police arrested a suspected Maoist cadre, Banwalli Patar alias Banna, from his house in the District. A DBBL rifle was found at a spot near his house. Patar is suspected to be an active member of the Jayanto squad and was wanted in connection with the abduction of Madan Mahato, a resident of the same village.

November 14: Two cadres of the CPI-Maoist were killed and two SF personnel of the 10th Naga Battalion got seriously injured when SFs ambushed a Maoist group of about 15 persons, including some women, while it was fleeing Ghatbera after killing two TMC supporters at Ghatbera in the Balrampur area of Purulia District. The gun-battle continued through the night till early November 15. The encounter signals the launch of a fresh offensive in the Jangalmahal area after nearly five months.

An armed Maoist squad raided a village in Balrampur in Purulia District and shot dead a 63-year-old retired school teacher Ajit Singh Sardar and his 22-year-old son Baku. Both the victims were supporters of TMC.

Banerjee said the security agencies had been asked to step up operations against underground Maoist outfits operating from Kolkata hideouts and their support bases in the city. She said her Government was ready with a blueprint for action against certain NGOs that were actually aiding and abating Maoists. "A number of Jadavpur University professors are also involved," she said.

The West Bengal State secretary of the CPI-Maoist, Akash, in a statement said that the "time for mutual ceasefire is over", as the Government did not come up with any concrete proposal for peace initiative.

November 15: The CPI-Maoist shot off a letter to the interlocutors appointed by Mamata Government, proposing a four-month ceasefire.

November 17: CPI-Maoist 'commander', Jagori Baske and her husband and comrade Rajaram Soren, called on West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee at the State Secretariat after surrendering before the Police. Jagori Baske was reportedly involved in the Silda camp killing in 2010. While the duo had first discussed their surrender with the District Police in Purulia, they surrendered before the IG, Intelligence Branch, and desired to meet the CM.

SFs carried out combing operations in Jhargram, Lalgarh, Belpahari, Binpur and Nayagram areas in West Midnapore District. One SLR rifle and explosive powder used in making land-mines were recovered from Purnapani area between Lalgarh and Salboni, Police said.

Maoist leader, Akash threatened that the TMC MP Subhendu Adhikary will be punished in the Peoples' Court (kangaroo Courts). "Like the previous Government, Trinamool is also trying to wrest power at gun- point and creating an undemocratic and suffocating atmosphere in the State," said Akash.

One of the interlocutors appointed by the State said that they will meet the CM on November 19 to explore the possibility of resumption of talks with the Maoist. Earlier, the interlocutors had, in a letter to the CM on November 16 had expressed their desire to be relieved of the responsibilities assigned to them by the State government in view of the recent developments in the Jangalmahal area.

November 18: Two Maoists, Sanjay Das and Parasuram Das, were arrested from Sonachura and Gangra villages in East Midnapore District. The arrested Maoists were involved in the killing of the two TMC workers in Balrampur of Purulia District on November 14 and in the killing of Nandigram-Sonachura gram panchayat Pradhan Nishikanata Mondal in 2009.

In the wake of intelligence reports stating that West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee and ten senior leaders of the TMC were featured on a Maoist hit-list, Banerjee said in Kolkata that she was aware of "a joint-conspiracy" against her, but did not want to "name any names". "I have received information that there is a joint-conspiracy. The names I am not mentioning, the people can guess who they are," she said.

State Food & Supplies Minister Jyoti Priya Mallick said that Maoist posters threatening his life had been found in the lobby outside his office. "They could not paste the posters. So they scattered them in the lobby and ran away," Mallick said, adding that eleven posters had been found. The posters demanded "the head of the Food Minister".

November 19: One of the two joint SF personnel injured in an encounter with CPI-Maoist cadres in Purulia District on November 15 succumbed to his injuries.

SFs recovered a huge cache of weapons during anti-CPI-Maoist operations in West Midnapore District over the past week. The haul included nine guns that were taken away by the Maoists in an attack on a camp of EFR at Silda, Police Officers said. Operations were conducted in the Kotwali, Lalgarh and Salboni Police Station areas. "We recovered 11 sophisticated weapons, nearly 250 detonators, 786 rounds of ammunition, 200 kilograms of explosives and over 30 land-mines," SP, Pravin Tripathi said. The combing operations in the Jangal Mahal region would continue in the coming days.

Police arrested Maoist-backed PCPA member Nirmal Mahato (35), from his home in Nalbora village in Jhargram area for playing a key role in holding up Bhubaneswar Rajdhani in 2009. He was produced before a Jhargram court and remanded to five days in police custody.

The six Government-appointed interlocutors for talks with the CPI-Maoist in Jungle Mahal, who had wanted to be relieved of their responsibilities, were requested to continue their parleys by West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee. "The chief minister has requested us to continue the peace process and we have accepted it," Sujato Bhadra who heads the team of interlocutors told reporters after a meeting with the CM.

November 20: Rabi Mandi, a member of a Maoist squad, operating in Purulia District, surrendered before the Police. Mandi admitted that he had been part of the Ayodhya squad for the past one-and-half to two years and was involved in killings as well as an encounter with the SFs in September 2011.

November 21: The Police arrested two persons, Kajal Mahato from Rangametia village of Nayagram and Kalipada Mahato from Birihand village of Jhargram, for their alleged links with the CPI-Maoist. Jhargram SP, Gaurav Sharma, claimed that Mahato was involved in the firing incident at Masangdihi village on November 7.

The West Bengal CM, Mamata Banerjee warned organisations glorifying the CPI-Maoist that the Government would take action against them anytime as there are provisions in Central Acts that empower the Government to act against persons seeking to glorify Maoists or any other rebel group. She was reacting to a press conference held by the APDR and 21 other organisations, against what they described as the government's moves to change a meeting venue fixed by them. Also sharing the dais and the concern of the organisers on this issue, was social rights activist Mahasweta Devi who was one of her supporters.

Giving for the first time her rationale for not withdrawing troops from the Jungle Mahal area , Banerjee said : "Yes it was a poll promise, and that is why we tried for six months to restore peace in that area when we did not allow security operations to take place." "But what have you done?" she asked the Maoists. "You killed seven-eight people…law and order is a State subject. I cannot let my people be killed. I cannot deny my responsibility." she said, adding that people would not pardon her.

Maoist posters criticising increase in salaries of MLAs in the State were seized by Police from Nayagram and Goaltore towns of West Midnapore District. The Maoists also warned Police informers would have to pay "the ultimate penalty".

Several Maoist posters were found at different parts of Nayagram block where Maoists asked villagers to drive out Trinamool activists. "Trinamool is the new form of the Left Front government. Drive them out," said the posters.

November 22: The Police arrested Pranabesh Mahato, a youth, who allegedly had played a key role in the murder of Trinamool Congress leader Rabindranath Mishra in Jhargram on August 25, 2011.

1,000 SF personnel raided Lalboni village in Binpur Police Station area of West Midnapore District in an operation that was launched after receiving information that two CPI-Maoist action-squad leaders were camping there. The offensive is dubbed by Police as the "biggest" after the Mamata Banerjee Government came to power. Although the forces could not find Bikash and Suchitra, they arrested three suspected Maoists who were allegedly involved in the attack on the Eastern Frontier Rifles camp in Silda in February 2010 that killed 24 troopers. The three arrested Maoists were identified as Prasenjit, kanai and Guntu.

One rifle, 16 rounds of ammunition and detonators were seized in the raid made by SFs in the Borihati forest in Jamboni Police Station area of the District. One 9 mm pistol was also found from the Laboni jungle in Belpahari Police Station area.

November 23: The West Bengal Government made another appeal to the Maoists to lay down arms and return to the mainstream. "Those who are taking up guns and killing people should return to the mainstream and keep faith in democracy, which is the only alternative," Commerce and Industry minister, Partha Chatterjee said at a party rally to condemn Maoist violence.

November 24: The CPI-Maoist Politburo member Mallojula Koteshwar Rao alias Kishanji, the man who controlled Maoist operations in eastern India, was cornered and killed in a massive security operation after a two-hour gun battle in Kushaboni forest in Jhargram on the West Bengal-Jharkhand border in West Midnapore District. The recovery of Kishanji's AK-47 rifle and a hearing aid, the CPI-Maoist politburo member is known to have been using, lent heft to the claim that the yet unclaimed body was that of Kishanji. But officials said they needed to close a one percent gap to make a formal announcement. "Most likely it is Kishanji. The officers on the spot said it is Kishanji and most likely, 99%, it is Kishanji," said Union Home secretary R K Singh. "We have said we have to be certain before we declare."

The operation that netted Kishanji, who has repeatedly eluded such dragnets in the past three years, began in the night of November 22. It culminated in one of the biggest and fiercest battles in Jungle Mahal with some 500 CRPF personnel and anti-Maoist commandos, backed by local policemen, taking on 150-odd Maoist cadres. Thousands of rounds were fired in the Kushaboni forest in Jhargram, 200 kilometres west of Kolkata. After the gun battle stopped CRPF commandos quickly moved in and found a body closely resembling Kishanji. Three more bodies were also found.

The Security Forces searched for Kishanji's trusted aide Suchitra Mahato, wife of slain Maoist leader Sashadhar Mahato, who was with him during the encounter and is believed to be injured in the encounter.

November 26: The body of slain CPI-Maoist politburo member Koteswar Rao alias Kishanji was identified by Maoist sympathiser Varavara Rao. Deepa, the daughter of Kishanji's elder brother Anjayelu, also identified the body of the slain Maoist leader.

November 27: The call for a two-day bandh, called by the CPI-Maoist in protest against the killing of Mallojula Koteshwar Rao alias Kishenji 'in a fake encounter' in the afternoon on November 24, in Burishole in West Midnapore District had no impact in the State except for closure of some shops in Jhargram area in the District. The bandh had negligible impact in other Maoist strongholds of Binpur, Goaltore and Salboni in the District. Security was tightened in Junglemahal, while an alert has already been issued in the State.

A landmine, possibly planted by the CPI-Maoist cadres, was recovered from a market in Goaltore in West Midnapore District. Maoist posters condemning Kishanji's killing which they termed a 'fake encounter' and warning the TMC were also found next to the spot.

November 28: Five of the six civil society members appointed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to bring the CPI-Maoist, to the dialogue table withdrew themselves from the job, citing unfavorable conditions in Jungle Mahal in West Midnapore District. This has come four days after CPI-Maoist Politburo member Mallojula Koteshwara Rao alias Kishanji was killed by the SFs on November 24.

November 30: SFs stepped up their operations and tracked down the hideout of a top CPI-Maoist 'commander", Ranjan Munda, in Nayagram block of West Midnapore District. More than 600 personnel of the CRPF and the Police's Counter Insurgency Force raided Gangasole forest on the Odisha border in search of Ranjan. SFs believe Ranjan recently returned to Bengal after escorting a senior Maoist leader to Odisha and is now holding out with his squad of 12.

The joint forces are still looking for the injured Suchitra Mahato. The discovery of a woman's decomposed body in Jamboni's Kanaisole forest triggered speculation for a while but it was not Suchitra's, say sources.

An 'area commander' of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Barun Das alias Surya, surrendered in Birbhum District. Surya was in-charge of the Dubrajpur-Khairashol-Kanksa area in Birbhum.

December 4: The first day of a two-day bandh called by the CPI-Maoist in protest against the killing of Polit Bureau member Mallojula Koteshwara Rao alias Kishanji evoked a partial response and passed off peacefully in the Jungle Mahal region of West Midnapore District. "Posters asking the people to support the bandh were found in some parts of Jhargram and Bankura, but there were no incidents during the day," IG (Western Range) Gangeshwar Singh said.

December 6: The second day of the Bharat Bandh called by the CPI-Maoist protesting the killing of top Maoist leader Koteswara Rao alias Kishanji evoked a lukewarm response in the State. Government establishments and offices were closed, but no untoward incident was reported in the State and the bandh passed off peacefully. The bandh partially impacted life in Jungle Mahal (West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura districts). Banks, schools, post offices and government offices were shut. Commercial establishments downed shutters while vehicles stayed off roads in West Midnapore.

Governor M K Narayanan said, "The killing of one leader will not end the (Maoist) movement. We hope it will be a setback for the movement. Wait and see."

December 7: Fearing retribution from Maoists for Kishanji's killing in an encounter on November 24, doors of Police Stations in Kolkata are being bolted from within by 11.30pm [local time] and opened not before 6.30am. "We have received intelligence inputs that the Maoists, in retaliation to Kishanji's death, will try to carry out strikes on police forces in and around Kolkata. So, all our units must be on full alert. We have to be extra careful in the present situation," Shibaji Ghosh, special commissioner of Kolkata Police, said.

December 8: Chunaram Soren, hailing from Patharpara of Goaltore in West Midnapore District, surrendered before the court claiming him-self to be a squad member of CPI-Maoist. Soren claimed that he was close to the slain Maoist leader Mallojula Koteswara Rao alias Kishanji. Police, however, did not corroborate his claim.

SFs have started a quiet hunt for Venugopal Rao, elder brother of slain Maoist leader Kishanji, "somewhere inside the forests of Belpahari" in West Midnapore District. According to a senior Police official, the search was started following intelligence reports that Venugopal, alias Bhupathi, alias Sonu was hiding in Belpahari or Banspahari, reportedly, to revive lost contacts and rejuvenate the sagging organisational network of Maoists.

December 14: The West Bengal Government invited engineering major Larsen & Toubro to set up a thermal power plant of 700-800 MW capacity in the CPI-Maoist-affected West Midnapore District. "We have offered L&T land at Goaltore to set up a power plant," CM Mamata Banerjee said, adding that preliminary talks have been held with the company in this regard.

Rebutting allegations that top Maoist leader Kishanji was killed in a "fake encounter", Mamata Banerjee said the SFs took time to confirm his death as they had no idea that the senior rebel leader was in the Burishole jungle area at the time.

December 16: Three CPI-Maoist cadres, identified as Jagannath Tudu, Shibil Soren and Lakshikant Mahto, were arrested from Kaliam village in Binpur area in West Midnapore District. The three were cadres of the 'China squad' but the nomenclature has nothing to do with the neighbouring country, the sources said.

December 20: Even after the killing of top CPI-Maoist leader Mallojula Koteswara Rao alias Kishanji, the Maoists still have the men and firepower for retaliatory strikes in West Bengal, according to an intelligence report sent to the Union Home Ministry. The SIB - a central intelligence agency - report details the status of Maoist squads active in Jungle Mahal (West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia Districts) and other Districts after Kishanji's death in an encounter on November 24. According to the report, nine Maoist squads with more than 100 members are active in West Midnapore and Purulia Districts and all members are being given firearms. The biggest among these is Purulia's Ayodhya squad, with nearly 40 members.

The report lists the Maoists as having 30 sophisticated firearms including five AK-47s and five INSAS rifles, apart from a host of other weapons. "As per our information, Maoists at present are suffering from an ammunition crisis. But they do not have a shortage of firearms. Kishanji's death is a major blow to the Maoists. They are taking time to absorb it. But at the same time, they are preparing themselves to strike back. We are keeping a watch on the situation," said Banibrata Basu, ADG of state intelligence branch.

The Maoist squads in Belpahari, Jhargram East, Jhargram West, Jamboni, Binpur, Nayagram and Lalgarh are active in West Midnapore District. Among these, Belpahari is the biggest, with more than 20 members under the leadership of Madan Mahato.

A squad member of the CPI-Maoist surrendered at a court in Jhargram in West Midnapore District. "Subodh Hasda, known in his squad as Cheena, has surrendered at the Jhargram court today [on Tuesday]," said State IG (Western Range) Gangeshwar Singh. Senior police officials said Hansda is close to Maoist leader Suchitra Mahato and Sachdev, and his surrender is important to the Police. At least eight Maoists who have been active in the Jungle Mahal area have surrendered over the past few months.

December 24: A young woman CPI-Maoist squad member, Raimoni Soren (20), was arrested from her village in the Lalgarh Police Station area in West Midnapore District for her alleged involvement in Maoist activities.

Four persons associated with Maoist activities surrendered at the Berhampore Police Station in Murshidabad District. "The four persons were accused in a case of sedition registered in 2010. They are also close associates of Kambit Sarkar, a key local Maoist leader," said B.L. Meena, SP.

December 26: The SFs recovered landmines kept inside a village pond by the CPI-Maoist cadres in Jhargram sub-division in West Midnapore District. The Police and CRPF personnel jointly commenced the search operation and recovered eight directional landmines kept inside a pond by Maoists were noticed by some villagers who had gone to take a bath.

Acting on a tip off, SFs raided Karma village of Balarampur in Purulia District and arrested a Maoist squad member identified as Gostho Gope, Purulia Police said. The interrogation revealed that the Maoists were planning to eliminate members of anti-Maoist forums at Karma village.

December 27: Following the revelation made by Gostho Gope, in a following raid, the Police arrested three other Maoist squad members in Jhargram sub-division in West Midnapore District.

In a separate raid the Police arrested Bimal Mahato alias Mithun, a cadre of Maoist-backed PCPA from Kalaboni village of the District. The Jhargram SP confirmed that Mithun was wanted in several cases which included a case of sedition.

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