Cops in Maoist areas seek central deputation

Raipur, Sep 8 : As many as nine senior police officers posted in India's worst Maoist insurgency hit state Chhattisgarh are reportedly lobbying to get central deputation, but the state government is reluctant to approve their applications.

According to sources in the state's home department, nine Indian Police Service (IPS) officers, including those of the rank of director general (DG) and additional director general (ADG), most of them having long field experience in Maoist areas, have moved applications with the state government to get approval for their central deputations.

The officers who have reportedly sought deputation are S.K. Paswan, the longest serving IPS officer in Maoist bastion, R.K. Vij, currently posted in the Bastar region as inspector general (IG), M.W. Ansari, who earlier served as IG, Bastar, deputy inspector general (DIG) Pawan Deo, presently in charge of two Maoist-hit districts - Kanker and Narayanpur, and the state's senior most IPS officer Rajiv Mathur, now holding the post of director general (prisons and home guards).

Other IPS officers seeking central deputation are ADG A.M. Nawani, IG Sanjay Pillai, now secretary, home, and IGs Mukesh Gupta and A.D. Gautam, the sources said.

But the state government seems to be in no mood to relent.

"The state is witnessing a series of cold blooded killings of civilians and forces in southern Bastar region and the government is working on a major counter-insurgency operation against the guerrillas. How the government can relieve the top cops in a such a crucial phase?" a top official in the home department told IANS Saturda

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