Naxalite News

Naxal-outfits are collecting around Rs.50-crore annually as extortion in Jharkhand, an intelligence report revealed. Nationally, their extortion revenue is worth Rs.150-200-crore, added the report. Extortion-collection has taken a shape of industry in the state, and has led to the mushrooming of several rebel groups. Responding to the situation, Union home ministry deployed around 20-battalions of central forces in the state.

Naxals have recruited nearly 4,000 children, including girls, to strengthen depleted cadre base. While the age of boys is as low as 10 years, the average age of girls is 14-15 years. The children gather intelligence about movement of security forces, collect rations and work as couriers. There were 285 incidents of Naxal violence from May to July this year.

Disillusionment with rebel activities has caused Six Maoists, involved in several Naxal operations(including blasting of pipeline of a private steel company, blowing up of several buildings, loot and extortions for the last five years) to surrender before the police in Odisha's Malkangiri district. They decided to return to the mainstream to lead a normal life realising the Maoists ideological deviation.

Naxals are making efforts to expand its organizational base in South India with movement of armed cadres witnessed in Western Ghats and tri-junction of Tamil Nadu-Kerala-Karnataka, posing a serious security threat to the three states. However, at this stage it can easily be controlled through a well-formulated action plan, the Home Ministry said.