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A Village Burnt Overnight: Tears, Loss and Survival in Dhamangaon Blaze

  Sitting amid the blackened remains of his home, 32-year-old Nikesh Gawali carefully broke open a half-melted plastic box with a screwdriver. His hands shook slightly, not out of fear, but out of hope. “I’m trying to find my daughter Aarti’s gold earrings,” he said quietly, still focused on the box. “She’s just five. I got them made recently after months of labour work.” The plastic box, warped and blackened by heat, was one of the few things left from his two-room house on the outskirts of Dhamangaon village . All around him lay ash, broken tin sheets and charred wooden beams. The walls had cracked under the heat and the front room’s tin roof had caved in completely. What remained was a blackened debris all around - almost nothing to suggest a home once stood there. Nikesh earns his living as an agricultural labourer, like many in the village. Work is uncertain and depends on the season. Those earrings weren’t just jewellery - they were a small dream, a reward for his hard work,...

Naxal menace in India: States not co-ordinates, says RPN Singh

  • State police have gain good success in Andhra Pradesh against Naxals and we are trying to deploy force in Chhattisgarh on the same lines of Andhra Pradesh


By Dheeraj Fartode
Absence of co-ordination between the States is the main impediment in cornering the Naxals. And since policing is the State subject, Union Government has its hands tied, stated Union Minister of State for Home RPN Singh here on Sunday.

A fine strategy is needed to be evolved to pin down the red brigade, who, the Minister claimed, is biggest challenge to country’s internal security. Naxal violence is not a mere law and order problem as their presence in nine States of country calls for united action in the affected regions. Directors General of Police (DGPs) Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh needs to hold regular co-ordination meetings and field officers should ensure Naxals do not have the advantage in border areas where they  hide after striking at will in any region, he further said.

The visiting Union Minister was interacting with The Hitavada on Sunday during his day long visit to the city.
Earlier, Singh took stock of anti-naxal operations in Gadchiroli and Gondia district at Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) base here. He claimed deployment of central forces in Naxal affected area has provided good results. They are ably aiding the State police force and applauded the good work of forces who are operating working under difficult situation. The Government is providing all necessary support to them and now police are taking action against the front organisations of Naxals who are aiding naxals and spreading the ideology.

Similarly the Government has also undertaken developmental works so as to wean away locals from the influence of Naxals. Special packages are on in tribals areas, and Government machinery has also undertaken programme to popularise the welfare measures of State and Singh said its result would be visible soon.

Admittedly the Minister said lack of road connectivity continues to be a major problems and same is being addressed in development plans for these areas. When asked about logistic plan in the Naxal affected area, the minister said that former Union Home Minister P Chidambaram had prepared a logistic plan and the government is still working on it. “State police have gain good success in Andhra Pradesh against Naxals and we are trying to deploy force in Chhattisgarh on the same lines of Andhra Pradesh,” he informed. However, Singh declined to comment on failure of Maharashtra police in investigation of Dr Narendra Dabholkar murder case.

Talking about upcoming general election, Union Minister of State for Home RPN Singh said that people will reject Narendra Modi’s model of development and BJP is day dreaming about achieving majority “Congress have its policies and party will surely retain power at Centre. The BJP have no agenda, no development programme and they are banking highly on the image of Narendra Modi,” he claimed.

Local Congress leaders including Anees Ahmed, Jaiprakash Gupta, Atul Kotecha along with Member of Parliament (MP) Sanjay Nirupam were also present at the press conference. 

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