Raipur. In an attempt to tackle the Maoists menace, the Bastar Police have started campaigns named as ‘BASTAR THA MATTA’ and ‘BASTAR CHO AWAAZ’. In an attempt to expose the atrocities of Naxals in the area, the police have put up posters, released short films and audio clips in local dialects to show the real face of the Left Wing Extremists to local residents. The police have used Gondi, Halbi and other local tribal dialects for the high-intensity campaign.
The campaign informs the locals about how Maoists killed 1,769 innocent adivasis in the last 20 years, demolished 186 schools and ashram bhawans, destroyed 226 roads/bridges/culverts and burnt down 640 vehicles and machineries in the area.
“The campaign named as “BASTAR THA MATTA” in Gondi and “BASTAR CHO AWAAZ” in Halbi meaning voice of Bastar would reflect the emotions and sentiments of the Bastar people to the outside world,” Bastar Police said in a release.
Meanwhile, it is being learnt that the COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected the Maoists operations and hit their supplies. Inspector-General of Police (Bastar range) Sundarraj P said that the security forces have stepped up anti-Naxal operations in Bastar division.
During an encounter with the Naxals in a forest near Entapad village of Sukma on September 8, the forces recovered documents which revealed that the extremists are facing huge tremendous hardships in the COVID situation.
“An analysis of the recovered documents has revealed that Maoists have been experiencing tremendous hardships during the COVID-19 pandemic following the lockdown imposed in March this year,” the IGP said.
The Naxals are facing huge shortage of medicines and ration. “We were well aware of the situation and now the documents have confirmed that Maoists are in deep crisis during the ongoing phase,” the police official said.
