Naxal plan to abduct VIPs during session

NAGPUR: Intelligence agencies are learnt to have received an input about Naxal top brass urging their cadres to gear up for a major operation involving abduction of VIPs during forthcoming winter session of state legislature likely to start in city from December 15.
Though city police deny receiving any such input from intelligence, sources in intelligence network speak of special input received that attempts of kidnapping ministers or influential MLAs could be made to ensure release of top Maoist cadres lodged in different jails in the state.
Speaking to TOI, joint commissioner of Babasaheb Kangale said that city police were unaware of any such input. ���We have not received any such information so far,��� said Kangale. Intelligence sources said that Anand, secretary of North Gadchiroli-Gondia-Balaghat division, instructed his cadres to target VIPs for abduction in a meeting deep inside forests between Mayalghat and Kodedo (bordering areas of Gadchiroli and Gondia). A special report regarding the meeting is being studied.
It is learnt that Maoist ultras have decided to use their city-based cadres to spot ���soft and vulnerable��� targets that can be picked up from areas with low security cover. Sources hinted ministers attending private functions and having low security were among the targets.
According to sources, manpower-crunch and leadership crisis had recently taken the steam out of Maoist movement in the state. Surrender of leaders like Suresh Harami and open rift between local and Andhra Pradesh-based cadres also weakened its base. Another blow was the arrest of several top-cadres like Arun Thomas Ferreira, Murli alias Ashok Satya Reddy, Vernon Gonsalves and Vishnu Sridhar. Sources said that Maoist want to get the top cadres released and hence desperately want a VIP to be used as bargaining chip.