RANCHI: Ministers and MLAs travelling to attend the Budget Session of the Jharkhand Assembly or returning to their constituencies on weekends may be targeted by Maoists or criminal elements. In view of a Maoist call for a bandh during the Budget Session, Jharkhand Police have issued an alert to superintendents of police (SPs) of all districts.
According to the alert issued by the Inspector General (Operations), the Budget Session of the Jharkhand Assembly is scheduled to be held from February 18 to March 19. To attend the session, ministers and MLAs will travel to Ranchi from their respective constituencies on February 17 or 18, or may return to their constituencies on the day of the bandh.
The IG has issued special instructions regarding the security of MLAs and ministers during their movement for the Assembly session. The letter expressed apprehension that legislators could be attacked by Maoists or criminal elements while travelling. Citing earlier incidents, Police Headquarters have identified sensitive roads and locations and directed SPs to take extra precautions in these areas.
All Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) and SPs have been alerted and instructed to maintain heightened vigilance and adopt preventive measures. District police have been directed to deploy sufficient patrolling teams along probable routes of legislators, at identified sensitive locations, and on major road and rail corridors. Security is also to be reinforced through strengthened intelligence gathering.
Additional security measures have been ordered for other vulnerable routes across the state. Key instructions include continuous patrolling in sensitive valley and forest regions, deployment of Route Opening Parties (ROP), activation of local police and intelligence networks to monitor suspicious activities, road sanitisation prior to the movement of legislators’ convoys, and special night patrolling.
Police Headquarters have made it clear that no security lapse will be tolerated during the Budget Session. District authorities have been asked to carry out local risk assessments, requisition additional forces if required, and seek support from central forces whenever necessary.
In Ranchi, security around the Assembly premises has also been tightened, with intensified checking drives, barricading, and enhanced CCTV surveillance to ensure the session is conducted smoothly and peacefully.
Key locations identified by Police Headquarters include Taimara Valley on the Ranchi–Bundu–Tamar road; Chutupalu, Charhi, National Park and Tilaiya Valley on the Ranchi–Hazaribagh–Koderma roads; Kolebira Forest on the Ranchi–Simdega–Gumla road; Bandgaon Forest Valley on the Khunti–Chaibasa road; Amjharia, Tudamu and Manika Valley on the Ranchi–Latehar–Palamu road; the Daltenganj–Chhatarpur–Hariharganj road; the Netarhat–Mahuadand–Gola–Bokaro–Pelawal road; and the Chauparan road.