Latest news with #Maoist-affected
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Chhattisgarh couple renounces 25-year association with banned outfit CPI (Maoist), surrenders to police
RAIPUR: A former government shiksha-karmi (contractual teacher), Jeevam Tulavi (48), and his wife Aarti Korram (39), who have been with the banned outfit CPI (Maoist) since the year 2000, surrendered before the police of Mohla-Manpur Ambagarh Chowki district, about 140 km west of Raipur. Tulavi, during his long association with the Maoist organisation, rose to the level of a divisional committee member, became a trained cadre of Peoples' Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) squad, and imparted the the ideology of the banned outfit through Mobile Political School, the police said. The Mohla-Manpur area is adjacent to other Maoist-affected districts of Gadchiroli and Kanker. Tulavi, a resident of Parvidih village in Mohla-Manpur, was active in the education unit of the Maoist organisation and was mostly engaged in the ultra's propaganda network in Abujhmad area in Narayanpur and south Bastar districts of Dantewada, Sukma, Bijapur and Rajnandgaon through Mobile Academic School (MAS).
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
A major success: Naxal husband-wife duo surrender in Chhattisgarh; drove cadre motivation and fresh recruitments
Two senior naxal operatives, a husband-wife duo, involved in the ideological and propaganda machinery of the outlawed CPI , surrendered before security forces in Chhattisgarh on Wednesday, officials confirmed. Jeevan Tulavi, 45, and his wife Agasha, 35, gave themselves up in the Maoist-affected Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki district, around 180 km from state capital Raipur. Both had been active in the rebel ranks for over two decades and held major roles in the Maad division of the organisation. Tulavi, also known as Ram Tulavi, was the divisional committee member (DVCM) and was working as education team commander in Maad division (Abujhmad), a remote, forested stretch known for long-standing Naxal activity. Agasha, alias Aarti Korram, was a key member of the press team and also worked as commander of the Chetna Natya Mandali (CNM), the outfit's cultural wing. The state police had placed a bounty of Rs 8 lakh on Tulavi, who joined the Maoist ranks in 2008 as a military operative in south Rajnandgaon. By 2012, he had shifted to ideological training, working through mobile political schools (MOPOS) to spread Left Wing Extremist (LWE) ideology across villages in Abujhmad. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo His wife, Agasha, originally from Telitola village, was a singer, dancer, poet, orator and a song composer since 2000 and was operating computers and drafting press releases for the LWEs, officials told PTI. The surrender was accepted in the presence of Rajnandgaon range inspector general of police Abhishek Shandilya, superintendent of police Y P Singh, and ITBP 27th Battalion Commandant Vivek Kumar Pandey. Officials hailed the development as a 'major success' in the government's intensified anti-naxalite drive. The region borders Chhattisgarh's Kanker and Maharashtra's Gadchiroli districts — both active naxal zones. The Union government has set a deadline of March 2026 to root out naxal insurgency from the country, under which intensified operations are underway.
India.com
3 days ago
- Politics
- India.com
Chhattisgarh: Three Villagers Murdered, 12 Abducted As Maoists Hit Again
RAIPUR: Brutal killings and mass abduction were reported from Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Tuesday evening, as suspected Maoists targeted a family connected to a surrendered Maoist and unleashed violence on villagers in Peddakorma, a remote forest settlement in the district. 'We have received initial information, and a team has been dispatched to the crime scene. Initially, we have been informed that three individuals—identified as Gujhin Gumo Diyam, Soma Modiyam, and Anil Madvi—were killed. All were reported to be close relatives of Dinesh Modiyam, a former Maoist who had surrendered to authorities earlier. But only the police team will confirm after reaching the spot,' Chandrkant Governa, Additional Superintendent of Police, Bijapur, told IANS. According to reports, the attackers arrived in significant numbers between 4 and 5 p.m. and quickly surrounded the village. The killings were reportedly swift and targeted, suggesting a retaliatory motive rooted in the victim's association with the ex-rebel. In addition to the murders, around seven villagers were badly beaten and left with severe injuries, reports and other sources said. Nearly a dozen others were abducted and taken into the dense forest. The exact number and identities of the kidnapped remain unconfirmed. An official statement is awaited to be issued by the Bijapur district police or state authorities, though initial reports suggest the assault was intended as a warning to those perceived to be cooperating with security forces. The incident underscores the fragile nature of peace in the Maoist-affected Bastar division, where recent counterinsurgency operations and government rehabilitation schemes have led to a wave of surrenders by lower- and mid-ranking cadres. While these initiatives aim to undercut the rebel ranks and promote reintegration, those who renounce the underground movement often become targets of suspicion and hostility from within their own former circles. Chhattisgarh has witnessed numerous such retaliatory attacks over the past decade, highlighting both the resilience of the insurgency and the limitations of the current surrender-and-rehabilitation model in fully insulating defectors and their families from danger. Tuesday's violence also calls attention to the persistent gaps in grassroots intelligence and the challenges faced by law enforcement in securing remote areas. Security forces have reportedly been mobilised in the region, but the thick forest terrain and strategic familiarity of the insurgents continue to impede rapid response efforts. As night fell over the region, fear and uncertainty gripped villagers, many of whom remain reluctant to speak publicly amid ongoing threats. The incident marks another grim chapter in the state's long struggle with left-wing extremism.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Gadchiroli mining body shielded form legal suits, challenges
MUMBAI: The government has given legal immunity to the Gadchiroli District Mining Authority (GDMA) formed to develop the Maoist-affected Gadchiroli district as the new steel hub of the country. The GDMA will be protected from all suits, prosecutions and other legal proceedings against it. The body has also been accorded powers to frame rules and regulations that it may deem necessary to exercise its powers and discharge its duties. The powers were granted through legislation for which the state government promulgated an ordinance on June 2. The state government is looking to develop Gadchiroli as the next steel city of the country. The top private players in the steel sector have committed to investing ₹50,000 crore in the district, and one company has already started mining high-quality iron ore, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis informed the state legislature in December last year. Accordingly, a mining authority for the district was approved in the state cabinet meeting held in the first week of April. Now the government has further decided to give protective cover to GDMA by enacting a law. 'No suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding shall lie against any member of the authority or the executive committee constituted under this ordinance for anything done or any action taken in good faith under this ordinance,' states the ordinance promulgated by the state mining department, which will be converted into legislation by tabling a bill in the upcoming monsoon session of the state legislature. The 16-member GDMA will be headed by the chief minister. The ordinance has also allowed the formation of an executive committee, headed by the chief secretary, that will finalise the terms and conditions of the tender and approve the tenders for appointing a mine developer-cum-operator (MDO) for the operationalisation of the mineral blocks. The protection from legal proceedings has been extended to the nine-member executive committee as well. The GDMA will have all the power to make rules and regulations that it believes are necessary for discharging its duties. 'The authority may, with the prior approval of the government, from time to time, make regulations, not inconsistent with the provisions of this ordinance and the rules made thereunder, for all or any of the matters to be provided under this ordinance by regulations and generally for all other matters for which the provision is, in the opinion of the authority, necessary for the exercise of its powers and the discharge of its functions under this ordinance,' the ordinance noted. The state mining department was of the view that the absence of an integrated administrative mechanism was hampering swift execution of the mining project, and thus the formation of a unified authority to expedite mining approvals was proposed. 'It will foster the growth of mineral-based industries and accelerate the holistic development of Gadchiroli district,' said a senior mining official, adding, 'The GDMA will act as a catalyst in speeding up the process of operationalisation of approved mining leases. It will also generate employment in the said area and boost the state's revenue.' I S Chahal, additional chief secretary of the state mining department said that the government did not intend to give any such protection to GDMA. 'The provision has been incorporated only to protect the government resolutions to be issued in this regard. In the absence of legislation, people often challenge the government resolution, saying that there is no such provision in any of the existing acts,' he told Hindustan Times. Currently, Lloyds Metals & Energy Ltd operates iron ore mines in Gadchiroli's Surjagarh, which were awarded on lease in 2007. The operation of the mines could be started only in 2021 owing to the Maoist insurgency. Surjagad Ispat has now proposed a ₹10,000-crore steel plant in Wadlapeth village while JSW Steel too has announced a plan to set up the world's largest steel plant in Gadchiroli district.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Tendulkar Foundation to develop 50 playgrounds in Maoist-affected Dantewada
Raipur: The Dantewada administration in Chhattisgarh has decided to develop 50 playgrounds under the Maidan Cup initiative in collaboration with the Sachin Tendulkar Foundation and the Mann Deshi Foundation in the Maoist-affected district. So far, 20 playgrounds have been completed through active community participation, and the remaining 30 are expected to be ready by October. 'This project is not just about sports infrastructure — it's about rebuilding lives, empowering youth, and giving Dantewada a new future,' said district collector, Dantewada, Kunal Dudawat. Inspired by the Bastar Olympics 2024, the Maidan Cup was launched to connect children and youth from remote areas to mainstream opportunities through sport, he added. The first phase targets the construction of playgrounds in 50 villages, to be expanded to the entire district in subsequent phases. The playgrounds are being built on the campuses of government high schools, higher secondary schools, and porta-cabin schools using local materials, with each costing under ₹4 lakh. They include facilities for 13 sports items such as running, long jump, javelin throw, shot put, discus, and wall climbing. Local children have also contributed by painting the boundary walls, making the spaces more vibrant and personal. Rather than constructing the facilities unilaterally, the administration brought in community support and iconic names like Sachin Tendulkar to generate enthusiasm among the youth. 'Our goal is to see the next generation of sports stars — like Tendulkar or Neeraj Chopra — emerge from Bastar,' Dudawat added. To further encourage quality development, panchayats creating the best playgrounds under the initiative will be rewarded with a skating park. In addition, work has begun on a residential sports city in Dantewada, which will offer specialised training and advanced facilities including grounds for cricket, football, and hockey, along with swimming pools and athlete housing. 'This is the first time India is witnessing a grassroots movement led by communities to build playgrounds for children,' said Divya Sinha of the Mann Deshi Foundation. 'We want Dantewada and Bastar to be known for climbing walls and skateboards — not conflict.' She noted that around 70% of Indian schools lack proper sports infrastructure, and over 500 million Indians have never played a sport. 'In Dantewada, many children have never had a safe space to run, play, or just be kids. But that's changing now.' So far, playgrounds in villages like Chhindnar, Kasoli, and Heetameta have been completed, directly benefiting around 10,000 children. Under the Foundation's travel coach programme, over 100 government school sports teachers have been trained in Dantewada — part of a broader vision that has already trained 1,700 teachers in Maharashtra. Prabhat Sinha from the Mann Deshi Foundation emphasised the community's active role in the initiative. 'More than 150 villagers — including teachers, farmers, labourers, and children — have come together to build these playgrounds with pride,' he said. Following its success in Dantewada, the Maidan Cup initiative is set to expand to other districts such as Jashpur — the home district of Chhattisgarh chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai — and Raigarh.
