More info sought on declaring Ballia naxal-hit

The state government has sought more details from the office of the inspector general of police, Varanasi zone, for Ballia’s inclusion in the category of naxal-affected districts of the state.

Inspector general of police GL Meena had recommended declaring Ballia a naxal affected district.

In response to the request, the state government has demanded specific information about the naxal activities in Ballia.

At present 106 districts in nine naxal affected states are included in the security related expenditure (SRE) scheme of the union home ministry.

The scheme is meant for reimbursing the expenditure incurred by the states on antinaxal operations.

At present there are three districts of UP in the SRE scheme- Chandauli, Mirzapur and Sonbhadra.

“The state government has sought more information regarding Ballia following the request to declare the district naxal affected,” Meena said.

Of late, there has been increased naxal movement in Ballia district.

After the involvement of naxals in the murder of a former gram pradhan in Ballia district came to light earlier this year, the district police chief of Ballia had recommended to the IG for including the district in the naxal-affected category.

The IG’s office, in turn, had requested the state government to include Ballia in this category.

But the state government wants to know about the intensity of naxal violence in Ballia over a period of five years.

The government, however, has clarified that exceptions could be made in some cases where it is found that a particular district, which was earlier not naxal affected or was marginally affected, has over the past two to three years reported an increased number of cases of naxal violence.

The state government also wants to know whether there has been consolidation of local organisations under the banner of naxals and whether Ballia has ‘liberated areas’ or ‘guerilla zones’ where the extremist outfits run parallel administration even though the overall violence profile may not be very high in the district.

The government also wants to know about the firepower of naxals and their armed squads in Ballia.

“Free movement of naxals and their firepower will determine the potential of an extremist outfit to commit acts of violence in Ballia and be a serious threat to the internal security,” said a senior cop pleading anonymity.

Sophistication of weapons is a determining factor in declaring any district naxal affected, the official added.

Another major consideration before declaring any district naxal-affected is the spread of active mass front organisations of naxal groups that lend constant and effective support in terms of logistics and safe refuge to the armed cadres.

The government also wants to know the pro-active measures taken by the cops and the district administration of Ballia to counter naxal menace in the district.