VISAKHAPATNAMKHAMMAM: The Director-General of Police (DGP), Swaranjit Sen, has said that the number of Maoists is not increasing in the State. "Going by the surrenders and other factors, the scene in Andhra Pradesh is okay," he told a press conference here on Monday.

However, Mr. Sen said that he could not speak about the surrounding areas.

Asked whether it would not have an impact on Andhra Pradesh, he said physically or factually there was no impact. "If something happens in Bihar, what impact will it have on Andhra Pradesh?" he asked.

The DGP admitted that the police had to work out a counter-strategy to confront Maoists using rocket-launchers, though they were not as powerful as was being claimed. "They have a range of about 250 yards going by the scene at Durgi police station," he said. He described as odd talk, the LTTE supplying arms to Maoists. Nothing was taking place in a systematic channel, he said. A recent meeting of the top officials from the States affected by naxalite problem held at Hyderabad had appreciated Andhra Pradesh's handling of the situation and felt that it was a workable solution, he said.

The meeting did not discuss any move for a countrywide ban on Maoists but left it to individual States. However, better co-ordination, exchange of intelligence and more minesweeping vehicles and a rethink on the strategies to be developed by the police in view of consolidation of Maoists were discussed. He saw no physical possibility of a `Maoist corridor' up to Nepal with Vizag as the centre.

Stress on coordination

VISAKHAPATNAMKHAMMAM: Effective coordination with the districts of Dantewada in Chhattisgarh and Malkangiri in Orissa, bordering Khammam, in combating Maoists is high on the agenda of the police, the SP, Rajiv Kumar Meena, said on Monday. He said the spurt in Maoist activities across the inter-State borders and their conflict with tribal communities in Chhattisgarh called for a serious approach to the problem.

The police would strive to safeguard the interests of the tribals in the district. Awareness camps would be organised in tribal villages.

Those facing any kind of threat from extremist groups would be trained to protect themselves.

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