Maharashtra for special law to deal with urban sympathisers of Naxals

MUMBAI: Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil today said a special law was needed to tackle the Naxals, especially their "frontal" organisations and urban supporters.

"Police forces in Naxal-affected states have to operate in their own jurisdictions. But Naxals have no jurisdiction. Even though they operate in the forests, they have a large number of sympathisers and frontal organisations in the cities. It is difficult to nail them under provisions of the present laws and hence the sympathisers get off easily," Patil said talking to reporters here.

Maharashtra had already requested the Centre to enact a special law, he said.

"The legislation could be on lines of Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA)," he said, adding that a large chunk of funds for the Naxals comes from mining industry.

"Fortunately for them (the ultras), rich mining takes place in the Naxal belt," he said.

Also, there should be a separate authority to expedite development and to handle security issues in Naxal-affected areas, he said.

"Naxals are an obstacle to the development. They oppose road, school construction and take away foodgrains meant for tribals," he said.

Patil said that in Maharashtra, more and more tribal youth were joining the police force and Naxals were failing to recruit them. "In the last two years, 2,355 youth have been recruited in the police force from Gadchiroli district (which is affected by Naxal violence)," he said.

Since January this year, one policeman died and 15 officials were injured in Naxal attacks in the state, while nine Naxals were arrested, 18 surrendered and 17 were killed, the Home Minister said.