The Maharashtra government has sought the Centre's assistance in the investigations into the July 13 triple blasts in Mumbai, State Home Minister R.R. Patil told journalists on Tuesday.
“We need more assistance in cracking the blast case. I have met [Union Home Minister] P. Chidambaram on earlier occasions in Delhi in connection with the probe. We have sought help in locating the perpetrators of the attack,” Mr. Patil said.
The blast investigation was among a range of security-related issues discussed when Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, Mr. Patil and other officials met Mr. Chidambaram in Mumbai on Monday night.
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Along with terror probes, Mr. Chidambaram is understood to have pointed to Naxalism in Maharashtra's adivasi districts as an area of concern.
A rise in civilian deaths indicated a worrisome trend, prompting the government to draw new strategies to combat the threat.
Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Umesh Chandra Sarangi said Mr. Chidambaram expressed concern at the intensity of the violence in Maharashtra. “We have only two districts that face Naxal violence — Gadchiroli and Gondia. But it is the intensity that we have to address. Most of the killings have taken place in southern Gadchiroli,” Mr. Sarangi said.
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Much of the attacks were a backlash against the State's action. “Their [Maoists'] strength has depleted in Gadchiroli. So the killings are a reaction to that,” Mr. Sarangi said.
The State is currently studying the Andhra Pradesh model of streamlining the operations of the police and identifying specific targets. .