The Chhattisgarh government has deployed seven young 2021-batch IPS officers to Maoist-hit districts — Sukma, Dantewada, Bijapur, and Narayanpur — to provide them with a first hand experience of a conflict zone and infuse fresh blood in anti-naxal operations, officials said.
Another IPS officer from the same batch has been deputed as ASP in the special task force (STF) for anti-Naxal operations in Durg district.
The transfers of these officers mark a significant reinforcement in Maoist affected districts, with all officers being posted as Additional Superintendents of Police (Anti-Naxal Operations), a move aimed at enhancing both tactical execution and localised planning.
A senior officer who is part of anti-Naxal operations said, “This is a good decision, though it should have come earlier. These officers have already completed over 20 months as City Superintendent of Police (CSPs) and deploying them now in core Maoist areas brings sharper focus to command, execution and supervision.”
Nearly 20 IPS officers are now posted in just four districts, a first for the state. These young, dynamic officers will bring a decisive edge to operations in tough terrain and the smaller jurisdictions allow for specialised, intensive anti-Maoist efforts. Secondly, the redeployment aligns with the Union home ministry's goal of ending Maoist influence in the core zones by March 2026,” said the officer.
The IPS officers who have been transferred to the Bastar region are Rohit Kumar Shah (Sukma), Udit Pushkar (Dantewada), Ravindra Meena and Aman Jha (Bijapur), Ajay Kumar and Akshay Sabadra (Narayanpur) and Akash Shrishrimal (Bhanupratappur, Kanker). The eighth IPS officer, Akash Kumar Shukla, has been posted as ASP in Durg.
Bijapur superintendent of police Jitendra Yadav described the move as both timely and tactical.
The BuckStopper, run by a group of seasoned journalists, holds the powerful accountable. The buck stops with them, as they cannot shrug off their official responsibilities.
