Bharat Ratna : PMO may not be able to avoid this demand for long.

Include sports in Bharat Ratna list: MHA
Jul 23, 2011, 01.16am IST TNN
[Vishwa Mohan]

NEW DELHI: Supporting the sports ministry’s demand to include ‘sports’ as a category for the award of Bharat Ratna, the home ministry has written to the PM’s office asking it to take the call as the decision would help outstanding sportspersons be considered for the country’s highest civilian award.

“Home ministry supports the view of the sports ministry and has therefore recommended it to the PMO for a final decision,” said an official. At present, Bharat Ratna is awarded for “exceptional service towards advancement of art, literature and science, and in recognition of public service of the highest order”. The recommendations for the Bharat Ratna, which was instituted in 1954, are made by the PM to the President.

Though names of persons as per the sanctioned categories can be recommended by anyone to the PMO for consideration, no “formal recommendation” for this are necessary. It is also not mandatory that the Bharat Ratna is awarded every year. The number of awards is, however, restricted to a maximum of three in a particular year. So far, the award has been conferred on 41 personalities.

As the clamour for awarding Bharat Ratna to Sachin Tendulkar gets louder, the sports ministry had recently written to the MHA seeking inclusion of ‘sports’ as a category for the award of Bharat Ratna. The sports ministry did not plead for any specific sportsperson or sports. On Tendulkar’s case, sports minister Ajay Maken had said: “I would be pleased if any sportsperson gets a Bharat Ratna. If Sachin gets it, I will be happy. ”

Times View

If anybody could be described as a jewel of India, which is what Bharat Ratna means, Sachin Tendulkar qualifies. He is universally acknowledged to be one of the greatest of all time in his chosen profession. What more can be demanded by way of eligibility. The problem clearly is that the current criteria make it impossible to give him the award. It has been suggested that this should be dealt with by including sports as a category. We disagree. Rather than have categories, the criteria should simply say anybody who has served India with extraordinary distinction or has made us proud to be Indians should be eligible. At the same time, to prevent misuse of the awards for patronage, there should be a genuinely independent panel of eminent people of unquestioned integrity to recommend names for Bharat Ratna.................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JQ0gvMjAxMS8wNy8yMyNBcjAxMTAz&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Benami Deals : The issue is to be debated during Monsoon Session of the Parliament

PC against benami law in present form

Vishwa Mohan & Sachin Parashar, TNN
Jul 23, 2011, 01.45am IST

NEW DELHI: A day after the Union Cabinet approved a proposal to bring a new law making 'benami' properties liable for confiscation, a section within the government on Friday expressed reservations over certain provisions, stating that they remained "vague" and therefore would not serve the actual purpose.

Officials who dealt with cases of 'benami' properties in the past said most such properties were actually bought in the name of brothers or sisters or any lineal ascendant or descendant and therefore, if the new law spared them, majority 'benami' transactions would be excluded from 'confiscation'. Such concerns were learnt to be articulated by home minister P Chidambaram as well when he said at the Cabinet meeting on Thursday that the law in its current form may not be able to check benami deals.

Under the new law, properties purchased in the name of spouse or siblings or any lineal ascendant or descendant could be allowed under benami deals and would not be subject to penal provisions. Chidambaram, however, is learnt to have opposed the same, while favouring the inclusion of spouse.

"Most benami transactions are where a person acquires property in the name of a brother or sister or any lineal ascendant or descendant. If they are excluded, then for all practical purposes, most benami transactions will stand excluded," sources quoted Chidambaram as saying.

The proposed legislation, however, found strong support from finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and HRD minister Kapil Sibal. According to the government, the bill contains elaborate provisions dealing with the definition of benami transaction and property, as also prohibited benami transactions.........http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTEvMDcvMjMjQXIwMTUwMA==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

NCTC : Will it finally see light of the day? ... turf issues need to be sorted out

NCTC plan back in focus after latest Mumbai blasts

Vishwa Mohan, TNN Jul 22, 2011, 04.30am IST
NEW DELHI: Last week's Mumbai serial blasts has once again brought the home ministry's two-year-old proposal to set up the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) – an umbrella body to deal with terror threats in the country – into focus with the Prime Minister's Office gearing up to finetune it before bringing the grand plan to the Cabinet for approval as early as possible.

Modelled on the American NCTC, the home ministry had prepared a detailed discussion paper comprising the composition and structure of such a centre and sent it to the PMO in April last year.

Under the proposal, the NCTC will be the nodal agency for counter-terrorism in the country with organizations like Intelligence Bureau's Multi-Agency Centre (MAC), Joint Intelligence Committee ( JIC), National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO), National Security Guard (NSG) and other related agencies reporting to it. The NCTC will also have direct control over National Investigation Agency, the body which was created to probe all terror-related cases post 26/11.

Since the Centre will also have the mandate to look into the issues of insurgency in northeast and Maoist threat, all central armed police forces like CRPF, CISF, BSF, ITBP, SSB and Assam Rifles will also report to it.

Sources said the PMO had already sounded out different ministries – defence, external affairs and finance -- to express their views on the home ministry's proposal. It was important to sort out issues with these ministries before going ahead with the NCTC proposal as a number of agencies which are currently under these ministries would have to report to the Centre.

The home ministry's discussion paper has kept the option of the nodal ministry of this centre open. It has suggested that it could either come directly under the PMO or be placed under the home ministry which deals with internal security matters. The proposal, however, also provides for creating a separate ministry of internal security on the lines of the US department of homeland security.

In US, the NCTC – which was set up within three years of the 9/11 terror attack – comes under the department of homeland security and it has direct control over the anti-terror division of the CIA and the FBI.

An official said, "The proposal for setting up of NCTC is aimed at removing difficulties, which come in the way of dealing with terror-related issues like intelligence gathering and dissemination of information due to multiplicity of authorities."

Once the NCTC is set up, the MAC, which is currently dealing with terror-related intelligence gathering and dissemination through a network of State-MAC, will be subsumed into it. Similarly, the Natgrid – which is being set up to collect and keep a database of all kinds of information – and the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System (CCTNS) will also come under the unified anti-terror centre. The CCTNS is a system which links all 14,000 police stations in the country through computerized network with its central server locating in New Delhi.

Under the existing proposal, the anti-terror function of IB will be completely taken over by NCTC which will also have power to get relevant information from even the external intelligence agency RAW, its Aviation Research Centre (ARC) and the military intelligence.

"In that case, director of NCTC will be more powerful than the IB chief. The home ministry's discussion paper talks about appointing a director (senior IPS officer) who will head the centre and he or she will report to either the PM or home minister or minister of internal security, if at all it is set up as a separate ministry," an official said.

The discussion paper of the home ministry says that if government creates a new ministry (internal security), the home ministry will be left with departments like Centre-state relations, disaster management, freedom fighters, official language and administration of Union Territories.

Mumbai Serial Blasts - the ATS will have to be ready for scrutiny for its past's sin

Three botched blast cases haunt Maharashtra ATS

Vishwa Mohan, TNN Jul 17, 2011, 01.36am IST
NEW DELHI: Is the Mumbai serial blast case probe in right hands? The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) had faltered thrice in the past, leaving the government red-faced when the truth came out later.

The Mumbai train blasts of July, 2006; Malegaon blasts of September, 2006 and the blast in Pune's German Bakery in February last year are the cases, where the ATS failed to deliver.

Though the government did some 'course correction' later by handing over the probe of one of these three cases (2006 Malegaon blast) to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), questions remain unanswered about the veracity of the probe in the two other cases.

In the backdrop of instances of 'shoddy' investigation conducted by the ATS in the past, this time around the existing team appears to be treading cautiously.


The Maharashtra ATS chief Rakesh Maria said in Mumbai on Saturday that the team would not take name of any outfit (terror) until it arrests any accused. Officials here believe that the presence of the NIA team at the scene right from the day one will not only act as an "assistance" to the local police but also provide enough 'checks and balances'.

The ATS had never 'formally' identified terror outfit without arrest. The announcement had always come after the arrest, but that itself could raise questions in absence of any concrete evidence. A number of people had been arrested and remained behind bars till the court intervened. Many others are still languishing in jail, while the case is being tossed around from one agency to another.

The 2006 Malegaon blast, which left 37 people dead and over 100 injured, was first probed by the Maharashtra ATS. It had arrested nine persons and filed chargesheet against them for their involvement in the incident in December, 2006. It had claimed that the bombs were assembled by two Pakistanis who stayed in Mumbai and Malegaon for over one-and-half-months before the incident.

Later, the case was transferred to the CBI in the wake of a number of representations made by family members of the imprisoned accused. The fate of the case, however, could not change. The CBI had more or less adhered to the line of the probe conducted by the Maharashtra ATS.

A twist came when Swami Aseemanand, who was arrested by the CBI in Mecca Masjid blast case ( Hyderabad), had confessed in December, 2010, that the Malegaon blast was the handiwork of the fellow Hindu radicals, who had also carried out blasts in Mecca Masjid, Ajmer Sharif and Samjhauta Express.


Consequently, the case was handed over to the NIA in April as the government wanted the probe of all terror blasts, carried out by Hindu radicals, to be handled by a single agency.

The Mumbai train blast case of July, 2006, is the other case, where questions are raised over the arrests made by the ATS. The squad in its chargesheet in November, 2006, had named 28 accused — out of which 13 were arrested, while 15 others, including Lashkar commander Azam Cheema and seven Pakistani 'bombers' were listed as absconders. The probe team had relied on narco-analysis test of the accused, which has its own limitation as it is not considered an admissible evidence in the court.

Two years later, an Indian Mujahideen (IM) commander Mohammed, Sadique Sheikh, told the Mumbai Police that the Mumbai train blasts were carried out by his outfit. He had claimed that the IM key member Iqbal Bhatkal had planned it, while his brother Riyaz delivered explosives for the task. His claim was corroborated by another IM member Shahzad Ahmed, who was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Police last year.


Though all those who were named and arrested by the ATS had terror records, the revelations pointed out that the Mumbai train blasts were carried out not by them but by a different set of people.

The ATS faltered again in its Pune German Bakery blast case. It had first arrested one Abdul Samad, a resident of Bhatkal in North Karnataka, from Mangalore airport soon after his arrival from Dubai on May 24, 2010.

His arrest had turned out to be a major embarrassment when the court granted Samad bail in June, 2010, after his defence produced evidence of his presence in a family's marriage function in his village in Karnataka at the time of the blast. It was a big blow to the image of ATS, which had claimed to have arrested Samad on the premise that his profile matched the CCTV footage of the blast site.

Later, Maharashtra ATS had arrested one more person, and chargesheeted six other accused, but this has not convinced many.....http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JTS8yMDExLzA3LzE3I0FyMDA3MDA=&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Indian Mujahideen : most convenient suspect .... but where is the evidence ... (Mumbai serial blasts rock the nation)

Day after serial blasts, cops clueless as Mumbai seethes

Vishwa Mohan, TNN
Jul 15, 2011, 01.00am IST

MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: Investigators were struggling to find clues to the identity of the perpetrators of Wednesday's serial blasts in Mumbai, raising the scary possibility that the fresh outrage may join the list of unsolved terror cases.

Sources familiar with the probe acknowledged that the investigators have not yet found any lead worth mentioning. Although Indian Mujahideen, the ISI-sponsored proxy of Lashkar, is seen as a possible suspect, the evidence is so thin that agencies in Mumbai and New Delhi are wary of sticking their necks out.

Wednesday's blasts were similar to the pattern seen in the attacks that were deemed to have been engineered by Indian Mujahideen. The three blasts were set off using improvised explosive devices in crowded areas with a view to maximizing casualties: a signature style of IM terrorists.

But there were major departures from the IM modus operandi as well. The attacks have not been followed by electronic pamphlets taking credit for the blasts. Starting with the serial blasts in UP courts in 2007, several terror attacks involving the Mujahideen were followed by emails justifying the killings as acts of courage meant to avenge alleged atrocities on Muslims.

Apart from the brazen attempt at communal polarization and to portray the terrorists as saviours of Indian Muslims, the emails were designed to serve another purpose: to keep up the fiction that the anti-India terror was indigenous.

Investigators are baffled by the departure from the pattern first seen after the blast in Pune's German Bakery in February 2010, as they worry whether 13/ 7 will be another addition to the growing list of cases which remain to be worked out. The Maharashtra ATS's claim of having worked out the bakery blast case has not convinced many despite one arrest and chargesheet against six other accused.

Three other cases of urban terror in 2010 -- the shootout near Jama Masjid, Delhi, bombs found at Bangalore's Chinnaswamy Stadium, and the explosion at the Dashashwamedh Ghat in Varanasi -- have not been worked out so far. The explosion outside the Delhi High Court this year has also not been solved.

In all such instances, terrorists have used diverse methods. For instance, Indian Mujahideen sent emails owning up to the Jama Masjid shootout and Varanasi blast, claiming that they were retaliation for the Batla House encounter of Indian Mujahideen operatives and Babri Masjid demolition, respectively.

The explosive devices planted at Chinnaswamy Stadium hours before an IPL cricket match were not lethal, suggesting that the terrorists responsible were seeking to score a propaganda point and cause scare.

In contrast, the explosives used at the Dashaswamedh Ghat could have claimed a higher toll. The throng that had turned up for the evening aarti was lucky because of the ineptitude of the bomber who planted the device at a place which minimized rather than maximized the impact of the blast.

The bombers who attacked Mumbai on Wednesday chose devices of different intensity. The IEDs used at Zaveri Bazar and Dadar were more lethal than the one at Opera House. As a matter of fact, the toll could have been much higher but for the fact that the impact was buffered by the heavy crowd at the two busy places.

Investigators who were earlier able to work out some of the serious cases by listening in to the excited jehadi chatter in the aftermath of terror attacks are struck by the complete radio silence after Wednesday's attack on Mumbai. The absence of emails: IM's calling card till 2008, is also seen as a switch of tactic devised to dodge the investigators. Moreover, the terrorists have settled for plots which are modest in nature and can be implemented swiftly, reducing the time needed for preparations as well as minimizing risk.

"It seems they have gotten smarter", a senior counter-terror operative told TOI, as he did not rule out the possibility of investigators hitting the dead-end again. He also said that this is part of the catch-up that the law enforcers are forced to play as they fight a shadowy enemy who has the advantage of choosing the target, weapon and time of attack. But the challenge for the agencies also indicates the risk that cities potentially face till agencies wizen up to the terrorist's new tricks.

Said an intel veteran: "What we need is one breakthrough to unravel the whole thing." He pointed out that Indian Mujahideen remained elusive for long. "But we worked out the Ahmedabad case and that helped us solve cases of blasts in Jaipur and Delhi, leading to the elimination of the IM commander Atif Ameen at Batla House in the Capital," he said...............http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTEvMDcvMTUjQXIwMDEwMA==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

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Adivasi People's Army (APA) : one more irritant

Assam tribal outfit claims responsibility for blast

Vishwa Mohan, TNN
Jul 12, 2011, 04.14am IST

NEW DELHI: A day after a little-known militant outfit – Adivasi People's Army (APA) – having links with Maoists claimed responsibility for the blast that led to train derailment in Assam, the Centre asked the state government "to maintain utmost vigil" as it has "a number of intelligence inputs" on possible threats to the railway network.

Secretary (internal security) in the home ministry U K Bansal said on Monday, "In the last three months, the Central government had shared a number of intelligence inputs with the Assam government on possible threats to the railway network."

Though these intelligence inputs pointed to the anti-talk faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), officials in the security agencies here pointed out that Sunday's incident was actually the handiwork of the APA that has, of late, established contacts with Maoists in Jharkhand and West Bengal and is also learnt to have sent its cadres for training to these Red Zones.

They said that the APA, which was set up in 2006, was desperate to establish a big presence in the area which has, otherwise, been the stronghold of the ULFA and the NDFB.

Referring to the Sunday's incident, Bansal said both the anti-talk faction of the NDFB and the ULFA had denied their involvement in the explosion that led to derailment of the Guwahati-Puri Express near Rangia in Kamrup (rural) district in Assam.

He said: "The NDFB (anti-talk faction) publicity secretary B Sanjio has denied the involvement of his organization. Likewise, ULFA has also denied its involvement and condemned the blast."

The APA, which has been demanding setting up an Adivasi autonomous council in the areas comprising a number tea gardens, had last month planted a similar bomb in the Guwahati-bound Kanchenjunga Express. The explosion was, however, averted when security personnel found the bomb during a routine check. The outfit had then claimed responsibility for planting the bomb, stating that it was an attempt to put pressure on the government to create the autonomous council.

About APA, Bansal said: "It is learnt that an email has been received by a Guwahati-based television channel from a group called 'Adivasi People's Army'. This group has claimed responsibility for the bomb blast. The email has been sent by one Sylvia Orang (alias Soren), a self-styled commander of the group."

The IED blast on Sunday damaged a stretch of the railway track and led to derailment of seven bogies of the Guwahati-Puri Express, injuring over 100 passengers. The explosion completely damaged 200 metres of track. The police later found a fuse wire and detonators from the spot...........http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTEvMDcvMTIjQXIwMTEwNQ==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Eye on Maoists : Centre and West Bengal appear to be on same page at this juncture

Chidambaram backs Mamata on talks with Maoists
Jul 7, 2011, 03.06am IST TNN
[ Vishwa Mohan ]

NEW DELHI: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee's move to stop anti-naxal operations in the state as a precursor to ‘peace talks' with Maoists finds support in Union home minister P Chidambaram, provided there is no violence.

Making his stand clear over the issue at a time when a section in security agencies expressed concern over Banerjee's move, Chidambaram on Wednesday said: "As long as there is no violence, I think we should allow the new government to assess the situation and take a position".

His remarks came two days after the top cops of other naxal-affected states aired their reservation over the move during a special meeting here. Seeking to tread cautiously over the matter, they apprehend that the step would not only provide Maoists an opportunity to strengthen themselves but also turn West Bengal a safe heaven for the Left Wing Extremists from neighbouring states.

Asked about reports on suspension of operation against Maoists in West Bengal, specifically in Junglemahal, Chidambaram said: "The DGP (of West Bengal) told us that the level of violence has come down to nearly zero. And there are, perhaps, suggestions that some kind of talks can take place".

Asked who would hold the peace talks, he said "these are suggestions in the air", and nothing much should be concluded from it.

The home minister, however, clarified the actual position on anti-naxal operation. He said it may not be correct to say that operations against the Maoists have completely stopped in the state. "I think intelligence- based operations on a very selective basis are still taking place in West Bengal in affected areas and arms have been seized," he said.

Referring to the West Bengal police chief's account, the home minister said these operations were, however, "very selective".

Earlier, the matter was discussed on Monday when police chiefs of nine naxal-affected states gathered here to discuss the states' preparedness to deal with Maoists during post-monsoon phase when the ultras usually come out more strongly in their attacks against security forces.

Representatives of both Bihar and Jharkhand expressed their concern, wondering whether the move could turn Bengal into a safe heaven for ultras. They raised the matter, saying Maoists may well flee to neighbouring Bengal as and when they face the heat of security forces in Bihar and Jharkhand.

Police chiefs and senior cops of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa, Bihar, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh were among those who attended the meeting....http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JS00vMjAxMS8wNy8wNyNBcjAwMTA1&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Eye on Maoists - Didi's move is being closely watched with apprehensions

Bengal's move to halt anti-Maoist ops could backfire

Jul 6, 2011, 02.55am IST TNN
[ Vishwa Mohan ]

NEW DELHI: Central security forces, engaged in anti-naxal operations in states, are worried about the West Bengal government’s move to halt offensives against Maoists in Junglemahal. They apprehend that the step would not only provide Red Ultras an opportunity to strengthen themselves but also turn the state a safe heaven for naxals from neighbouring Bihar and Jharkhand.

The concern was expressed here in a special meeting of top cops of nine Naxal-affected states. The meeting was convened to discuss states’ preparedness to deal with Maoists during post-monsoon phase when the Left-wing extremists usually come harder at security forces.

"Reported move of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee to ensure truce between security forces and Maoists in Junglemahal and return of ultras in bigger numbers to Jhargram and Lalgarh in West Midnapore were discussed in the meeting," said a senior official who attended the day-long meeting.

Police officers of Bihar and Jharkhand had raised it after their West Bengal counterparts presented the report on the current situation.

"West Bengal representatives noted that the Junglemahal area had not reported any violence in the past one month ever since the anti-naxal operations were stopped," said an official.

At this point, the official said, representatives of both Bihar and Jharkhand expressed their concern, wondering whether the move would not turn West Bengal a safe heaven for ultras. They raised the matter, saying Maoists may well flee to neighbouring Bengal as and when they face the heat of security forces in Bihar and Jharkhand.

Home ministry officials, however, on their part, insisted continuing with all possible help in terms of providing Central forces and fund for police modernization, asking all states "to lay emphasis on using more and more local police in fight against naxals and focus on constructing fortified police stations in red zone to deal with Maoists more effectively".

The ministry had planned to construct and strengthen 400 such police stations in naxal-affected districts at the cost of Rs 2 crore each a few months ago.

Senior police officials, who attended the meeting, said though the Centre would continue to provide all assistance in terms of extending logistics and deploying paramilitary forces, the focus of the meeting was also to take stock of the measures being taken by states so that they can fight Maoists using local police personnel, who are more acquainted with ground conditions and topography of the hostile terrain.

Police chiefs and senior cops of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa, Bihar, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh were among those who attended the meeting. They also discussed strategy of joint-operations along inter-state borders during monsoon and post-monsoon phases....http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTEvMDcvMDYjQXIwMTkwMg==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Eye on Maoists : More Post-Monsoon action seems to be on card

Centre asks naxal-affected states to focus on constructing fortified police stations

Jul 5, 2011, 02.19am IST TNN
[ Vishwa Mohan ]

NEW DELHI: Promising states all possible help in terms of providing central forces and funds for police modernisation, the home ministry on Monday asked them to lay emphasis on using more local police personnel in the fight against naxals and focus on constructing 400 fortified police stations in the Red Zone to deal with Maoists more effectively.

Work on 100 out of the 400 new fortified police stations in 83 naxal-affected districts across nine states is currently going on with central assistance. The ministry had a few months ago planned to construct and strengthen such police stations at the cost of Rs 2 crore each.

Speeding up the process of police modernisation and other measures being taken to deal with Maoists were discussed here in a special meeting of police chiefs and senior cops of nine naxal-affected states. Union home minister P Chidambaram reviewed the states' preparedness to deal with ultras in the day-long meeting. It was convened as a precursor to the meeting of chief ministers of Maoist-affected states which will review the matter more comprehensively.

Senior police officials, who attended the meeting, said that though the Centre would continue to provide all assistance in terms of extending logistics and deploying paramilitary forces, the focus of the meeting was to take stock of the measures being taken by states so that they can fight Maoists using local police personnel who are more acquainted with ground conditions and topography of the terrain.

The police chiefs and senior cops of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa, Bihar, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh were among those who attended the meeting. They also discussed strategies for joint operations along inter-state borders during the monsoon and post-monsoon phases.

"Discussions were held in view of recent incidents. The strategy being adopted by the security forces to counter the Maoists after monsoon -- the period when the ultras become more active – was also discussed," said an official.

During the meeting, the police chiefs highlighted the needs of their respective forces and asked for liberal help from the Centre to modernise and train the state police forces. They sought more helicopters and night vision devices from the central armed police forces.

Madhya Pradesh police chief S K Rout said he had requested the home ministry to include a few more naxal-affected districts of the state under the Centrally-sponsored Integrated Action Plan (IAP) to carry out development projects.

Bihar DGP Neelamani said Chidambaram appreciated the state police's success in arresting several top Maoists leaders – including central committee member Jagdish Yadav -- in the recent past. Jagdish Yadav was arrested by the state police with the assistance of Intelligence Bureau officials, based in the state, in a meticulously planned operation....http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JSC8yMDExLzA3LzA1I0FyMDA5MDI=&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom