Maharashtra (Maoist Insurgency): Timeline (Terrorist Activities) -2014

A group of civilians, social activists, writers, research scholars and professors have begun a 10-day Shodh Yatra (search mission) in Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) affected tribal villages of Gadchiroli District on January 2, reports The Hindu. “The main aim of this yatra, which began on Thursday, is to speak to the tribals and try to understand their problems which are being neglected in the [state-naxal] conflict” the organisers said in a statement. However, the Maoists have expressed doubt over the yatra. They have said the organisers “do not seem to be on the side of the people. This yatra covers only those villages where police camps are situated. Is it not a police sponsored event?” a statement signed by State Maoist Secretary Sahyadri wondered. Read less...

Gondia District Police took a Range Forest Officer (RFO) in custody on January 7 for supplying materials to the Communist Party of India (CPI-Maoist) from a rest house at Navegaon Bandh area in Gondia District, reports The Times of India. Shriram Kulmethe, the RFO of Gottengaon range, was arrested from Deori. Sources from Gondia Police stated that Kulmethe and nine others, including three forest guards, were booked in August 2013 after the Police raided a forest rest house at Navegaon Bandh where the culprits were stocking up materials for supplying them to the Maoists. Apart from Kulmethe, Police had earlier arrested forest guards Vijay Meshram, Vasant Kosre and Devendra Agre for their involvement in the racket. Agre, though a guard, worked as a clerk with Kulmethe. Sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) of Deori, Gajanan Rajmane stated that Kulmethe was the last to be arrested. "The culprits had been also providing money to the Naxals. The culprits had also procured detonators from a mine at Madhya Pradesh and handed over to the Naxals," said Rajmane. Read less...

Left Wing groups abroad have stepped up support for the Indian Naxalite [Left Wing Extremism (LWE)] movement and their so-called people's war, reports The Times of India on January 17. Some recent developments, including formation of the 'International Committee to Support the People's War in India (ICSPWI), have made the Government sit up and take notice with security establishment believing it may worsen the already aggravated situation. The last year's convention of ICSPWI at Hamburg in Germany is learnt to have generated much support for the Indian guerrillas in the international arena as the participants called India as a 'prison house of people's movement'. The convention, allegedly attended by Delhi University assistant professor GN Saibaba- now under Police scanner-also decided to observe January 25 this year as the International day of solidarity and struggle. The global committee decided to demand unconditional release of political prisoners in India on January 25. Saibaba, quizzed by cops last year, admitted to attending several international conferences of pro-Maoist and leftist organizations upon being 'invited'. Security agencies feel several documents, been seized during operations, have also confirmed presence of someone identified as 'Prakash' representing Indian Naxals. It is learnt Saibaba was present in those conferences along with Prakash. Saibaba has denied knowing any Prakash much less meeting him. "We feel Saibaba and Prakash are the same person," said a senior official. Read less...

Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres on January 19 opened fire on a Police patrol party in the Shiv Mandir hills near Bijepaar armed outpost (AOP) under Salekasa Police Station in Gondia District but they fled after security forces retaliated, a senior police official said. However, nobody was injured in the exchange of fire. Read less...

In a decision set to cause a flutter among Maharashtra Government officials, especially those working in the state's western parts, the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court ruled that employees who never worked in tribal or Naxal [Left-Wing Extremism (LWE)]-affected areas should be posted there at least once during the course of their service, reports The Times of India on January 23. The court also said that "those already working there for over three years should be transferred to other places". Read less...

Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres killed two villagers at Kishtapur in Gadchiroli District on January 27, reports The Indian Express. Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police (SP) Suvez Haq said “Raju Ajmera, a kirana (grocery) shopkeeper, and Laxman Sidam, a farm labourer, both around 35 years of age, were called out by Naxals-[Left Wing Extremists (LWEs)] and questioned over their alleged role as police informers. They refuted the charge, but the Naxals repeated the allegations and also beat them up. Some villagers opposed the Naxal action, but they were also beaten up. Thereafter, the Naxals took the two away from the village asked them to run and shot them from behind.” Read less...