The Naxals have called for a bandh against the police’s “Operation Green Hunt” in Gadchiroli on June 25. Leaflets declaring the bandh were distributed at several places in the district on Saturday.
A local organisation of the ultras called the North Gadchiroli-Gondia Divisi-onal Committee of the CPI(M) has demanded the immediate withdrawal of the police’s “Operation Green Hunt”, which it alleged was leading to the harassment of locals.
“The Naxals have called for a bandh on June 25, and the police is making arrangements to deal with the situation,” said an IB officer from Gadchiroli, adding, “The Naxals have dropped leaflets across the district calling for the bandh alleging that the police operations are against the people.”
The police said it has identified sensitive areas in the region, and in coordination with other district police and the CRPF has already begun it operations.
“We are coordinating with the police of the neighbouring districts and will be going out in full strength against the bandh,” said an officer, with the Gadchiroli police.
Earlier, The Naxals had called for a Jan Fituri Saptah bandh in the Dandakaranya area (spread across the forest regions of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and parts of Andhra-Orissa border) from June 5 to June 12 in protest against the police deployment and a training centre coming up in Chhattisgarh.
Just two days ago, 71 elected representatives in the Gadchiroli district had resigned from their posts, apparently due to the Naxal threat. Of these, one is zilla parishad member, four panchayat samiti members and 66 village panchayat members.