UP cops turned blind eye to Naxal warnings

The 15 Uttar Pradesh policemen who were killed in the attack by PWG and Maoist Communist Centre attack yesterday were paying the price for t...

The 15 Uttar Pradesh policemen who were killed in the attack by PWG and Maoist Communist Centre attack yesterday were paying the price for their seniors’ failure to gauge the Naxalite threat in the state. The victims walked right into the trap the Naxalites had laid for IG (Varanasi zone) Devraj Nagar.

With PWG and MCC today claiming responsibility for the biggest-ever attack on the country’s largest police force, this ‘‘red zone’’ on the borders of UP, MP and Bihar is now under the scanner. Forest officials of the ‘‘red zone’’ in the region of Chaundali, Sonbhadra and Mirzapur say the object of contention in this vast wasteland is tendu leaves. ‘‘The poor sell tendu leaves illegally and we stop them. Police help us in the same while the MCC sympathises with the people, leading to the conflict,’’ a forest official said. Sources said several intelligence reports had warned UP police of an alliance between MCC and PWG since the ban on the latter was lifted by the AP government. The reports apparently also mentioned that PWG activists were training MCC cadre on executing landmines.

Announcing compensation of Rs 5 lakh and a government job each to the families of victims, DGP V.K.B. Nair conceded there were tell-tale warnings of the attack. ‘‘We were aware November 21 was the first death anniversary of MCC’s slain commander Gauri Harijan and Naxalites planned to strike big,’’ he said.

Story continues below this ad

On Friday, the Naxalites attacked the Forest Department outpost in Chaundauli and killed two forest guards. The same night, they set fire to the hut of the sarpanch of Lahauri village and a call was made to the police. The remote-detonated landmine was in place on the route of the IG’s cavalcade. He happened to take a different route but yesterday, the victims walked into a trap.

	A DAY LATER

			• 9 am: “We will not accompany you to the blast spot. It is not safe…”, says Constable Balwant Yadav, one of five constables on duty at the Chandraprabha police post. “We are sitting ducks for the Naxalites here who are armed with AK-47s. We know in what fear we spent last night.” • 10 am: Truck, blood-smeared caps shoes still there. Yesterday, V.K.B. Nair was here in a helicopter with an army of officials. Today, you can still spot charred uniforms hanging on the trees in the impact of the blast. • 11 am: Saviti’s is the only family left on the way to the blast site as all others have fled in fear after the blast. ‘‘ We are Adivasis….Naxalites threaten us to not speak to the police. Anyway the police never dares to come here,” she says. — ENS

‘‘17 of us, 12 PAC jawans and five from the Chandraprabha police post, were on the ill-fated truck headed for Lahauri. Ahead of us were two jeeps with 11 policemen from Chandoli and Mughulsarai. The jeeps managed to pass the culvert but as our truck passed, the landmine went off,’’ injured PAC constable Lodhi Ram said. He and another constable, Abrapal Singh, are the only survivors.

Then, his story. ‘‘None of the 15 men died in the explosion. They were injured. But the policemen in the jeeps fled in fear on seeing 150-odd Naxalites gunning for us. The accused then rounded us and killed each by shooting them in the head,’’ says Lodhi Ram. Then, as the Naxalites left, he gathered the courage to walk four km till the Chandraprabha police post. ‘‘The policemen who fled had not even transmitted a wireless message,’’ he adds.

SC on Waqf Act: Stay on clause that creator has to be practising Islam for 5 yrs

India18 min ago

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to stay the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, provision requiring registration of Waqf by user, but paused the clause that states a person must be a practitioner of Islam for five years to create a Waqf until state governments frame relevant rules.

View all shorts

Live Blog