A company VP, two others killed in naxal attack in Gadchiroli

Security intensified to maintain normalcy in the region

Close on the heels of gruesome killings in Chhattisgarh, naxals on late Wednesday night killed three persons in the dense forest of Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra. The deceased include Jaspal Dhillon, vice president, Lloyds Metal, AP Mallikarjun, Hyderabad based sub contractor and Raju Sanmek, police patil  of Surjagar  village. The trio had gone to convince the villagers of Nender for the extension of lease for mining purpose. Incidentally, they had entered the naxal dominated area without informing the local police and other security forces.

Maharashtra Home Minister RR Patil told Business Standard “The bodies have been recovered from the forest. The incident  took place in Etapalli forest. The situation is quite normal and under control.”

Gadchiroli , which is a naxal infested district in the state, has so far recorded killing of five civilians and one security personnel while bodies of 17 naxals were recovered during 2012-13.  Gadchiroli deputy inspector general of police Ravindra Kadam said the security has been intensified following the incident. Further, the Gadchiroli superintendent of police Mohammed Suvez Haque said the bodies have been brought to Etapalli for post mortem.

Gadchiroli had witnessed dastardly attack in 2009 in which 59 persons large number of them security personnel were ambushed by naxals. The government since then has stepped up security in these areas through the deployment of 10,000 personnel of state and central forces. Besides, in last two years a record 2,075 were recruited in the state police force in Gondia and Gadchiroli districts.

Today’s incident took place at a time when the state government is in the midst of  further strengthening the “360 Force” currently deployed in naxal affected areas. Besides, Patil has so far completed 40 visits in Gadchiroli in last four years while the additional chief secretary (home) is visiting these areas every last day of the month. A high level committee headed by the state chief secretary holds periodical monitoring of development projects.