VISAKHAPATNAM: Director General of Police (DGP) RP Thakur has appealed to the Maoists to shun violence and join the mainstream. “Maoists must realise that they won’t achieve anything through violence and we appeal to them once again to join mainstream of society after shedding the path of violence,” Thakur said. 

After his visit to cyclone-hit areas in Srikakulam district, the DGP arrived here on Monday night. He was the chief guest at the police blood donation camp at the police barracks to mark the Police Commemoration Day on Tuesday. 

Along with city police commissioner Mahesh Chandra Laddah, the DGP donated blood and paid rich tributes to the police martyrs. 

Later interacting with reporters,  Thakur said: “After the recent killing of the Araku MLA and former MLA at Livitiputt in Vizag Agency, we enhanced security to all public representatives. Very soon, we will restore peace along the Andhra-Odisha Border (AOB) and other Maoist-affected areas of the State. Already our officials are on the job and extensive combing operations are underway at the identified problematic areas. We will also take stringent action on the ganja smugglers in the district as well as in the State.” 

The DGP refuted the allegations of Maoists that the security forces and policemen involved in the combing operations are creating terror in the agency area. 

“We are doing our best to help the tribals in the agency areas by implementing various public-friendly programmes. The allegations of Maoists and other anti-social and anti-constitutional elements against the security forces are absolutely wrong. We are trying our best for the comprehensive development of the agency areas,” the DGP explained.