Need to win hearts, minds of people in Naxal areas: CRPF DG

CRPF Director General K Vijay Kumar said security and development initiatives have quite "almost turned around" in various Maoist violence hit states in the last few years, including in West Bengal, with the help of "political backing" and a lot of development work has been completed here.

"We have had considerable success in West Bengal. Nine out of ten things are getting done (in the state)," Kumar told reporters, two days before his retirement.

Kumar, who was brought to head the about 3-lakh personnel strong and the country's largest paramilitary in the aftermath of the 2010 Dantewada Naxal attack which killed 75 CRPF personnel, said few challenges still remain.

The DG said CRPF has a "lot of work" to be accomplished in the "difficult and complex" areas of south Chhattisgarh and southern part of Odisha around Malkangiri district which have a difficult terrain and large activity of armed Naxal cadres.

"We have to have perseverance, the Indian state has to be patient, security forces have to be competent and the development has to be rapid. With all these, I hope things will happen.

"We need to win over the people...Win their minds and hearts (of Naxal affected areas)," he said.

Kumar said the force, while following the two-pronged government policy of security and development going hand-in-hand, has wrested the Saranda area in Jharkhand and is working extensively to take full control of the Burra Pahad area in Rohtas district and Gaaru in Lathehar in the state.

He counted two districts from Bihar - Gaya and Jamui, and Sonebhadra and Chandoli in Uttar Pradesh as places which will see development works in the near future. (MORE)