Bihar launches ops as Maoists shift base due Jharkhand polls

Bihar Police has launched anti-Naxal operation amid intelligence inputs that Maoists from Jharkhand were shifting base to the state to escape the security dragnet in the wake of impending state assembly polls there.
"Jharkhand is among the main battlefront against Left Wing Extremism (LWE). There is some information with regard to Maoists shifting from the poll-bound Jharkhand to our state. We are all-geared up, and intelligence based operations are being conducted to tackle them," said Bihar Director General of Police (DGP) P K Thakur, while talking to PTI.
Inspector General of Police (Operations) Sushil M Khopde said raids were being conducted since yesterday in the state after some intelligence inputs about the influx of Maoists were received. They are possibly seeking shelter to escape the heavy deployment of security forces in Jharkhand.

"The operations were being conducted at several places by Special Task Force (STF) personnel in cooperation with Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and CRPF. We are doing this not only in Southern Bihar contiguous to Jharkhand, but have also included areas of North Bihar for the purpose to stop Maoists from making hideouts," Khopde said.
One operation is currently underway by STF and SSB in Muzaffarpur district, where several detonators, arms and explosive material have been seized so far. Khopde said details of the operation will be provided after it is over.
The IGP (Operations) said the Bihar-Jharkhand border was being sealed, check posts were being established at various routes and security forces were being deployed at various cut-off points in the hilly terrain to stop the movement of Maoists before the first phase of assembly elections in the neighbouring state which begins on November 25.

"The first phase of assembly polls in Jharkhand is in Garhwa, Chatra, Palamau districts, which correspond to Gaya, Aurangabad, Rohtas districts in Bihar. We are cooperating with Jharkhand Police and paramilitary forces to ensure that the border areas were sealed," Khopde said.
"We would be conducting area domination exercises on our side to cut-off the influx route of extremists. Presence of police and paramilitary forces in the area will secure it against Maoists and criminals in the wake of polls," Khopde added.