Tuesday, September 13 2005 16:50 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Concerned over the recent killings by suspected Naxalites in Jharkhand and Chattisgarh, Centre has convened a meeting of Chief Ministers of states affected by left-wing extremism here on September 19 to chalk out a new action plan to deal with the problem.

The meeting of Chief Ministers of nine Naxalite-affected states will be chaired by Home Minister Shivraj Patil, a Home Minister spokesman said.

Condemning the incident in a Jharkhand village in which 15 people were killed on September 11, the spokesman said, "There has been local resistance by people against Naxalite violence in Chattisgarh and other states".

Observing that the Jharkhand incident was against members of a village Defence committee, he said "this is more out of desperation because the naxals feel threatened by the growing anti-naxalite movement among the people".

The Jharkhand attack by suspected Naxalites had taken place within a week of a landmine blast near Bijapur in Chattisgarh killing 24 policemen including 22 from CRPF.

As many as 76 districts in nine states - Andhra Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and West Bengal have been affected in varying degrees by left-wing extremism.

The Centre, official sources, said wanted a multi-pronged strategy to deal with Naxalism including dialogue if the group concerned was willing to abjure violence and give up arms.

At the same time, it would continue to modernize police forces, better intelligence network and launch well-coordinated operations against Naxalite groups, the sources said adding attention will also be focused on socio-economic development of backward areas and ways to redress public grievances in the affected places.