Friday, March 31 2006 15:41 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Top officials of the Home Ministry and 13 naxalite-affected states today (Mar 31, 2006) held a meeting here to chalk out strategies to deal with the menace in the wake of stepped up violence by various left extremist groups particularly in Orissa and Chhattisgarh.

Union Home Secretary V K Duggal, who convened the meeting, laid emphasis on synergy between various police and para-military forces deployed in the states hit by naxalite activities.

The day-long meeting was attended by chief secretaries and directors general of the 13 states facing such violence including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.

CRPF Director General J K Sinha, Secretary (Internal Security) in the Home Ministry G S Rajagopal and those from the Intelligence Bureau were among others who attended the meeting which assumed significance as it came at a time when the naxal violence had increased by 11.4 per cent this year with major attacks Orissa and Chhattisgarh.

The states like West Bengal, Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Jharkhand are understood to have been asked to take a look at the policies of Andhra Pradesh in tackling the Maoist violence as they had bore rich dividends.

In a status paper on the naxal problem, prepared by the Union Home Ministry, the Government, while listing out its multi-pronged policy to deal with the menace, has said it would deal sternly with the groups indulging in violence and has ruled out any dialogue unless the militant groups agreed to give up violence.