Naxals to observe 'black day' on August 15; Centre alerts 8 states

Apprehending violence, the Home Ministry has sounded an alert in eight Naxal-affected states asking them to take maximum possible precautions and ensure peace as the extremists were planning to observe 'black day' on August 15.

Acting on intelligence inputs, the Home Ministry asked governments of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa, Bihar, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh to be alert about possible attempts by the Maoists to trigger violence in the next three days, particularly on August 15.

Official sources said the Centre also shared with the states specific information about Naxal threat and intimidation to villagers, school teachers and Panchayat members to observe the Independence Day as 'black day' and asked them to deploy adequate security forces in all sensitive places.

The Home Ministry cited a few incidents, which took place in Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and West Bengal, where the Maoists gave ultimatum to the people living in remote areas to obey their diktat, including hoisting black flags in public buildings and public places.

The state governments have been asked to intensify vigil at sensitive locations and public places and deploy additional forces in markets, railway tracks and stations and bus terminus, sources said.