Cop blamed for Gadchiroli deaths transferred

The Maoists burnt road construction vehicles in the south of the district on Sunday night.

MUMBAI: Police officer Shailesh Kale, who was accused of carelessness in discharging his duty, which led to 15 police personnel losing their lives in a Maoist attack in Gadchiroli on May 1, was transferred to Nandurbar on Tuesday even as fresh incidents of burning of vehicles involved in road projects were reported from the district.

A request by Kale, Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Kurkheda, for quick movement of the Quick Response Team (QRT) to Dadapur, where the Maoists had torched vehicles being used for road construction, has been questioned since the attack on May 1.

It is also being said that the standard operating procedure for movement of the forces in such conditions was not followed. Due to this, Kale was asked to proceed on leave and was transferred on Tuesday.

The Maoists burnt road construction vehicles in the south of the district on Sunday night. A water tanker and two road construction machines were burnt at a site of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana in Etapalli, police sources said.

“There is no chance of Maoist movement in the district ending as the police and other departments are getting major funds in the name of combating Maoism,” said a surrendered Naxal activist.

He pointed out that only the personnel in the lower ranks were killed in Maoist attacks while senior officers were rarely targeted.

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