NEW DELHI: Shaken by the brazen Naxal attack in which they killed 17 policemen, the Centre has diverted 3,200 BSF personnel (30 companies), sent to oversee polls, to Gadchiroli in Maharashtra.
The attack was discussed threadbare at the Cabinet Committee of Security meeting on Thursday specifically called to discuss the Naxal issue. Sources said committee has given a green signal to step up offensive against the Maoists after the Assembly elections.
However, it could not arrive at a decision on allowing Air Force to hit back at the Maoists.
With barely five days to go to the Maharashtra Assembly polls, the incident is being viewed as a Naxal ploy to divert attention from Dantewada, Bijapur and Narainpur region in Chhattisgarh, where they have come under severe pressure from rejuvenated state police forces. Gadchiroli region is adjacent to the Naxal-affected areas of Chhattisgarh.
The attack also comes a day after the Maoist beheaded a Police inspector in Jharkhand who was abducted days after the arrest of senior politburo member of CPI (Maoist) Kobad Ghandy in Delhi.
Taken by surprise by the ferocity and timing of the Maoists’ attack, the Centre is planning to rush more companies of central paramilitary forces to Maharashtra.