India: Maoist Rebels Begin 48-Hour Shutdown
- 14 years ago
Maoist rebels have launched a two day shutdown in five Indian states. It comes as government forces try to force the rebels out of hiding and end what has been a decades-long conflict that's claimed thousands of lives.
Maoist rebels have called for a 48-hour shutdown across five Indian states including eastern West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Orissa, and Chhattisgarh.
The shutdown is to protest Operation Green Hunt, an operation to track down and flush out the Maoists from their camps in the forest regions.
The entire region of Ranchi in the state of Jharkhand has been shut down.
Transport services have stopped, and shops and banks are closed.
[Praveen Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police]: Hindi male
"We have made special security arrangements for the roadways and railways due to the shutdown called by the Communist Party of India. We will be deploying our forces in these areas by evening."
Meanwhile, additional security forces have been deployed to Midnapore in West Bengal.
Maoists have spread into rural pockets in 20 of India's 28 states. The movement has upset business prospects worth billions of dollars in mining industries in central and eastern India.
The rebels carried out at least 1,000 attacks last year, killing more than 600 people.
India's Prime Minister says the Maoists are the country's biggest internal security threat.
Maoist rebels have called for a 48-hour shutdown across five Indian states including eastern West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Orissa, and Chhattisgarh.
The shutdown is to protest Operation Green Hunt, an operation to track down and flush out the Maoists from their camps in the forest regions.
The entire region of Ranchi in the state of Jharkhand has been shut down.
Transport services have stopped, and shops and banks are closed.
[Praveen Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police]: Hindi male
"We have made special security arrangements for the roadways and railways due to the shutdown called by the Communist Party of India. We will be deploying our forces in these areas by evening."
Meanwhile, additional security forces have been deployed to Midnapore in West Bengal.
Maoists have spread into rural pockets in 20 of India's 28 states. The movement has upset business prospects worth billions of dollars in mining industries in central and eastern India.
The rebels carried out at least 1,000 attacks last year, killing more than 600 people.
India's Prime Minister says the Maoists are the country's biggest internal security threat.