Years of hard work by the police in containing Maoists has resulted in the Panchayat elections in Visakha Agency area recording 70 per cent polling which was a kind of watershed in controlling Maoists, Superintendent of Police Vikram Jeet Duggal said while giving details of the district police’s performance during this year, at a press conference here on Saturday.
Though the Maoists had snatched away nomination papers at six places during the election process, the Girijans turned up in large numbers for polling and when this made them jittery, the Maoists committed some offences and killed four persons.
Before the elections, they conducted four famine raids and looted property of four families.
Maoists killed seven persons, including a former Home Guard, during this year and injured 20. While no policeman was killed one Maoist was killed in the two exchanges of fire that took place.
The police arrested 67 cadres like dalam members, area committee members and militia members while 58 had surrendered. There were 39 underground cadre of the CPI (Maoist) in the district and seven of them were from outside the district. In addition there were 25 militia members who were as active as the underground cadres. There were also 542 militia members or sympathisers of the party and they were in different categories. Movement of companies (each consisting of 30 to 45) of Maoists was witnessed only before the panchayat elections.
As many as 293 combing operations were done so far during this year compared to 133 during last year, Mr. Duggal said.
Controlling illicit liquor flowThe major task for the district police in the New Year was ensuring smooth conduct of the general elections, he said. Plans were already being drawn and ground work commenced. Mr. Duggal felt that if controlling the flow of illicit liquor was started now, it would have a major impact in this area. Explaining through figures, the SP said that the number of accidents, grace offences, rioting, etc. has come down during this year.
“Registration of FIRs without delay has its effect in some areas as the number of cases in excise, illegal activities, controlling anti-social elements, offences against women, drive against ganja transport, illicit liquor has gone up,” he said.
Additional SP (administration) D.N. Kishore and OSD (Narsipatnam) A.R. Damodhar were present.
Compensation givenCompensation was handed over to families of three Girijans of Saagulu village who were killed by Maoists at Lakkavaram village in G.K. Veedhi mandal on February 19, here on Saturday.
SP Vikram Jeet Duggal handed over cheques for Rs.5 lakh each to the wives of Adapa Balayya Padal and Bavuda Pandayya, and mother of Vanjari Hanumantha Rao at the AR Complex, Kailasagiri.
The three were killed at the meeting convened by the Maoists at Lakkavaram.
