Centre asks J'KHAND govt to go all out against Naxalites

Bokaro, Apr 7(UNI) In the wake of killing of six people in naxal attack at a CISF camp in Jharkhand late last night, the Centre today asked the state government to frame stretegies to counter the menace and if required to launch air strike on naxal hideouts.

Union Additional Home Secretary Vinay Kumar today rushed here to take stock of the incident in which six people, including two CISF personnel, were killed and five constables injured, when nearly 400 CPI (Maoist) ultras attacked the CISF camp at Khasmahal project of Central Coalfields Limited, about 50 km from here.

This was the second naxal attack in the past 34-day with last one being the gunning down of Jamshedpur MP Sunil Mahto on March 4 along with three others by naxalites while they were watching a soccer match.

Mr Kumar said the Centre would assist the state government in all possible manner to counter insurgency adding if required they would resort to air attack as part of their operational measures.

If the state government did not have the facility to carry out air strikes, it could hire helicopters and the expenditure for which would be reimbursed by the Centre, he said.

He said the state government was now required to frame its strategies to tackle the issue and the Centre would assist in its implementation.

Meanwhile, CISF DG S I S Ahmed said they had intelligence inputs of the possible naxal strike adding the CISF jawans also retaliated that forced the ultras to finally escape.

The DG said the CISF and state police were required to work in co-operation with each other to counter the naxals.

UNI