THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, Nov 29: Latehar district police has been much in the news over the last fortnight. It’s for no good reason.
Latehar district police’s success in having a peaceful and incident-free Vidhan Sabha election paled into insignificance following a spate of Naxal crimes at regular intervals.
The Jharkhand Story correspondent had a late-night conversation with Latehar SP Kumar Gaurav to find out why the Naxal crime rate is so high.
Here are the excerpts from the telephone conversation:
Q: There has been a sudden rise in Naxal crimes in your district in the past few weeks. Why?
A: There is a spurt to Naxal crime. Criminals and Naxals appear to be hobnobbing with each other. We will crush them soon.
Q: Is Latehar district police any slow or laggard in the occurrences of the Naxal offences?
A: It’s just the reverse. Latehar district police are dealing with it professionally. Our response time to abort or chase the offenders is fast. See, the JJMP ultras are taking human shields to save their skins from our retaliatory shots.
Q: Is there any newer group overtaking the crime in your district?
A: The birth of any group is much easier. It’s everywhere in the state.
Q: What is this SHARK shooter in the Mayank Singh gang?
A: Well, I am also amused by the term SHARK. At best it is sharp.
Also Read- SC halts trial court’s order in Sambhal mosque case, directs petitioner to approach HC
Q: Coal traders and lorry operators are pretty worried about the safety of their assets and human resources following the torching of little over half a dozen hywas and two such incidents where the firing was resorted to at the trucks where a driver had a providential escape when a bullet just scratched past his belly.
A: We have taken CBM (confidence building measure). Our police officers are in close contact with the stakeholders. We are planning to have regular interfacing with the stakeholders.
Q: Balumath and Herhunj areas witness more crimes. Why?
A: It’s coal here in Balumath and Herhunj. There was an incident of ‘rangdari’ in Mahuadanr police station limits which was well in time aborted by the police.
Q: There appears to be a design in the recent Naxal crime. Do you agree?
A: It’s coal sidings that are finding more such incidents. It’s not only true of the Latehar district. A few more districts where there are coal sidings have similar issues.
Q: Is it any consolation to you that a few more districts have similar rises in Naxal crime like Latehar’s?
A: No. I never draw consolation. I fight and control. I want to tell you that issues with the district of Latehar resemble those of other districts too.
Q: Illicit weapon is a wrong stimulator to crime. How about its seizures in your district?
A: Just see there were recoveries of 16 arms and 500 rounds of ammunition during the MCC period. Our job to lay hands on the illicit arms and ammunition is going on with the same intensity. There is no compromise with the illicit arms and ammunition.
Also Read- ED raids Raj Kundra’s premises in pornography case
Q: Some shuffling by you of the level of the OCs (officers in charge) of the police stations, may have broken the chain of adequate communication in the public domain. Is this any factor of the recent upheaval to Naxal crimes?
A: Shufflings have been done where it was needed. Our police officers are in touch with the common man. I haven’t got any complaint so far about our police officers’ apathy to people’s cause.
Q: Ganjhus have plunged into crimes when it’s paddy time and harvesting time is not very far. How is this?
A: Well, I don’t see any truck between the agro activities and disposition of crime. These two are separate things.
