BHOPAL/BALAGHAT: Increased Naxal activity has been reported from parts of Madhya Pradesh that border Maoist affected region. According to a top source, the Naxals have declared a separate zone for Gondia, Balaghat and Rajnandgaon that is called the GBR zone.
Gondia is in Maharashtra, Balaghat falls in MP and Rajnandgaon is part of the Naxal affected area in Chhattisgarh.
“As Naxals face the heat in neighbouring Chhattisgarh, the Maoists are looking for a safe haven for hiding in the border districts of Balaghat and Umaria in Madhya Pradesh,” a top MP police officer told.
The Balaghat Police has arrested two people, who allegedly extorted money on behalf of the Maoists and passed it on to the banned outfit.
Both of the people were arrested from the Balaghat district. One of them, named Ruplal and the other, Jaipal Varkade.
Rs 2.5 lakh was recovered from the possession of the two accused and a case has been registered against them at the Langi police station.
According to Balaghat District SP, Amit Sanghi, the two had extorted the money from unidentified contractors working in Balaghat and were on their way to pass it on to the Naxals.
They have confessed of working for the Malajkhand Dalam that is trying to establish itself in the Balaghat district.
The money recovered had been hidden in rice sacs by the two men, the police added.
In the recent past, police have received complaints from construction and tobacco leaf contractors of alleged extortion attempts being made by Naxal fronts in Balaghat district.
Instances of Naxals torching construction machinery have also been reported from the district.
Security forces after the recent attack on CRPF personnel in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh have changed their strategy and have started to tighten the noose around sympathizers of the banned outfit in Chhattisgarh.
The strategy seems to be paying off at the moment as several top Naxali commanders surrendered before security forces last week.
The anti-Naxal unit that is part of the intelligence wing of the Madhya Pradesh Police is keeping a close watch on the situation in Balaghat and Umaria and has apprised the political leadership of the state about the recent developments in districts bordering Naxal affected areas of Chhattisgarh.
