Chhattisgarh on high alert after Kishanji’s killing
November 25th, 2011 - 12:49 pm ICT by IANSRaipur, Nov 25 (IANS) Thousands of police and paramilitary troopers were put on high alert Friday in Chhattisgarh for fear of possible retaliation by Maoists, a day after the killing of their top leader in West Bengal.
“Maoists will strive to hit back. Though securitymen deployed in rebel-hit areas are always on guard they have now been asked to observe maximum alertness after Kishanji’s death,” said Additional Director General Ram Niwas.
Mallojula Koteshwar Rao alias Kishanji, 55, who was a politburo member of the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist), was killed in an encounter in West Bengal Thursday.
The killing of the rebel leader, who was number three in CPI-Maoist ranks, is expected to trigger retaliation by guerrillas in their strongholds and Chhattisgarh is one of the worst hit by Maoist insurgency.
Police fear that Maoists may either target their bases or even civilians in the state’s southern sprawling 40,000 sq km Bastar region where the outlawed group virtually runs a parallel government in the interiors.
“We expect retaliation in the five districts of Bastar besides Rajnandgaon in western Chhattisgarh and the jungle areas of Raipur and Mahasamund,” a senior official at the police headquarters here said.
He said some forces deployed in the deep jungles of Dantewada, Bijapur and Narayanpur district have been asked to move to small police posts and government installations, which are vulnerable to attacks.
- States on high alert after Kishanji killing (Roundup) - Nov 25, 2011
- Maoists block highway, damage rail track in Chhattisgarh - Dec 05, 2011
- Kishanji's killing triggers security alert in Odisha - Nov 25, 2011
- Chhattisgarh ups security after Maoists threat - Jan 25, 2011
- Maoist-called shutdown hits life in Chhattisgarh - Dec 04, 2011
- Maoists block key highway to protest Kishenji killing - Nov 28, 2011
- Andhra on high alert after Kishanji's killing - Nov 25, 2011
- Chhattisgarh on alert against Maoist strike - Aug 14, 2011
- Chhattisgarh on alert as Maoists mark anniversary - Sep 21, 2011
- Maoists kill villager, blast Chitrakot police post (Second Lead) - Feb 07, 2011
- Maoist 'protest week' hits life in Chhattisgarh (Lead) - Jul 04, 2011
- Kishanji: The media-savvy cold-blooded rebel (Profile) - Nov 25, 2011
- Maoists kill six cops in Chhattisgarh (Lead) - Oct 21, 2011
- Top Maoist Kishanji killed in West Bengal (Night Lead) - Nov 24, 2011
- Maoists oppose Chhattisgarh's foundation anniversary - Oct 28, 2011
Tags: alertness, bijapur, chhattisgarh, communist party of india, government installations, guerrillas, jungle areas, jungles, maoist, maoists, parallel government, police fear, police headquarters, police posts, politburo member, ram niwas, rebel leader, retaliation, strongholds, west bengal