Maharashtra lost most cops to Maoists’ bullets

Maharashtra lost the maximum number of policepersons to Maoist violence in one year, according to statistics released on Wednesday.

Between September 1, 2008, and August 31, 2009, the state lost 72 policepersons, followed closely by Chhattisgarh with 64 deaths. However, the area affected by Maoist violence in Maharashtra is much less compared to states like Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. While Maharashtra has two Maoist-hit districts (Gadchiroli and Gondia), Chhattisgarh has seven.

A senior officer involved in the training of police personnel for counter-insurgency operations said the higher deaths of cops in Maharashtra is because of a lack of proper training and precautions. “In most of the major attacks, the police were tricked into traps. Had they been careful, most of the deaths could have been avoided,” he said.
The killing of 17 policemen in Gadchiroli just before the assembly elections was executed through an elaborate trap laid by the Maoists.

Overall, 840 policepersons and paramilitary personnel died in operations across the country with Uttar Pradesh topping the list with 107 deaths. The number of deaths due to Maoists is 249.