Maoists step up their offensive in Madhya Pradesh, says Police chief

Bhopal, May 19 (ANI): S K Raut, Madhya Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) has said that Maoists have stepped up their offensive in the region.

Talking to reporters here on Tuesday, Raut said: "The information which we have received so far suggests that Maoists have entered some areas of Bada Police station of Siddhi district. We have detected some movement on the boundary of Rajnath village in Balaghat district."

He also said that the number of their training camps has also increased.

"The Maoist rebels in the State are more than they were earlier," Raut added.

"The police have been asked to keep a vigil in the two districts and carry out intensive patrolling, he said.

Raut informed that he has already talked to Balaghat Inspector General of Police C B Muniraju and IG, Rewa G R Meena in this regard.

In the latest of such violent attacks, Maoists targeted a bus and detonated a landmine killing over 35 persons including police personnel near Dantewada in Chhattisgarh.

The Maoists claim they are crusading for the poor, marginal farmers, and landless labourers.

They have spread into the rural pockets of 20 of India's 28 states. (ANI)