Naxal threat on b’day party

The two unarmed constables, including Geeta Prasad Banjare, were abducted from a market at Bejji in Dantewara yesterday. Local traders of the district, bordering Andhra Pradesh, told police that they had seen Naxalites checking vehicles on the road leading to the bazaar.

This is the same area from where Naxalites had abducted Sub-Inspector Prakash Soni a month ago. Soni was released after 14 days but not before the government agreed to their demands. With former Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee slated to arrive for the celebrations tomorrow, security has been placed on high alert.

Yesterday, at a massive rally in Kanker district, the CPI (Maoist) gave a call for a ‘‘guerilla war’’ to free the Dandkarniya zone ‘‘from repressive forces’’. Another rally is proposed for Dalli-Rajara in Durg district tomorrow. CPI (Maoist) spokesman in the Dandkarniya zone, Gudsa Usendi, said the Naxalites would give a befitting answer to the BJP’s attempt to ‘‘spread venom’’ against their armed struggle. ‘‘It’s strange that the BJP government is offering talks but BJP president L.K. Advani and party spokesman Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi have termed the Andhra Pradesh talks as a threat to the nation,’’ he said. ‘‘Repressions and talks in Chhattisgarh cannot go together. We are prepared to fight it out.’’

Last week, state Home Minister Brij Mohan Aggarwal had met Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and apprised him of increasing Naxal attacks in the state following Andhra’s initiative. ‘‘The situation is really serious. It’s getting worse day by day. If no immediate help comes from the Centre, not only Chhattisgarh, at least eight or nine other states will find it tough to tackle the problem,’’ Aggarwal had said.

Three days ago, about 70 activists of CPI (Maoist) attacked a joint team of the CRPF and state police forces at Pamalbaya village in Dantewara when they were on their way back from a search operation. In Kanker district, the Naxalites triggered a landmine blast near Sangam village in Pakhanjur.