Offensive in border areas begins

OUR CORRESPONDENT

Remains of the anti-landmine vehicle that was blown up by Maoists in Garhwa on January 21. File picture

Ranchi, Jan. 25: A major offensive has been launched along the Jharkhand-Chhattisgarh border to flush out guerrillas of the banned CPI(Maoist), which triggered a landmine blast in Garhwa on Saturday, killing 13 policemen.

It is learnt that some four battalions of paramilitary forces stationed in Latehar, Palamau and Garhwa districts of the state entered core forest areas late last evening in search of rebels, who are still holding hostage Suresh Ram, the bodyguard of Garhwa zilla parishad chairperson Sushma Mehta.

The CRPF is being aided by the state police forces of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, a highly placed source said.

The operations from Jharkhand is being led by CRPF DIG in-charge of Chaibasa Bhanu Pratap Singh, who for the next one week will also hold additional charge of Palamau range.

Singh's role in purging Maoists from West Singhbhum's Saranda forests, considered the eastern regional headquarters of the CPI(Maoist), during an August offensive last year had earned accolades. It had also paved the way for Union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh's ambitious Saranda Action Plan.

Speaking to The Telegraph, the CRPF DIG confirmed that the joint offensive had started. "The operations are going on along the Jharkhand-Chhattisgarh border. There are apprehensions that rebels have crossed over to Chhattisgarh with their hostage. So far, there has been no report of encounters. We are hopeful of good results," he said.

Notably, CRPF's inspector-general (operations), Chhattisgarh, Pankaj Singh had taken part at a meeting at the force's headquarters in Ranchi on January 24. The meeting was chaired by CRPF DG K. Vijay Kumar and attended by Jharkhand DGP G.S. Rath, IG (operations and intelligence) S.N. Pradhan among others.

Sources said Rath spoke to his Chhattisgarh counterpart over telephone before the launch of the major offensive in the border area because Bargarh village near which the January 21 explosion took place is hardly 10km from Balrampur district of the neighbouring state.

They said Jharkhand police have set up three pickets in the forested areas of Latehar, including Kone and Saryu, which are strategic both for rebels and the men in uniform.

Meanwhile, Bhandaria BDO Basudeo Prasad, who was in Ranchi since the attack, left for Garhwa this morning. He will hoist the Tricolour in Bhandaria tomorrow to mark Republic Day.