Maharashtra girds up for IM, Naxal threat

The extremists are reported to have consolidating their presence in urban areas from rural ones

The Maharashtra government has received key inputs from the Centre on the growing nexus between the banned Indian Mujahideen (IM) and Left-wing extremists (LWEs) in the state. According to the inputs, LWEs who were hitherto largely present only in rural areas are now consolidating their presence in urban ones and are increasing their contacts with IM operatives.

A senior government official, who is associated with the government's measures to curb Naxal menace, told Business Standard: “The Centre has communicated to states, including Maharashtra, on the burgeoning proximity between IM and LWEs. LWEs, in particular, are not concentrating their activities in Dandakaranya, including Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra, but spreading their wings to major cities and towns in an association with IM operatives. LWEs are in touch with IM operatives and planning joint strikes.”

The official admitted that the IM-LWE nexus could prove to be a lethal combination, but added it would be cracked down with the help of the Centre.

According to the official, LWEs are making all efforts to trap persons belonging to minorities, dalits, tribals and educated youths to spearhead their movement. He referred to the recent massive seizure of bombs and explosives from IM cadre in the Maoist stronghold of Jharkhand. “Based on these inputs, the government and the police department have stepped up efforts to effectively take on these forces. Vigil has been kept in cities like Pune, Aurangabad, Nashik to trace the operators and even sympathisers of LWEs.”

The official added the government has created a special intelligence unit and special publicity cell to project the faultlines of the Naxal movement. Besides, attention is paid to train the security personnel and also to aggressively launch counter campaign to expose the anti-development actions and unconstitutional stance of the LWEs.