The CRPF on Friday said it will “set in motion soon” the action plan cleared by the Centre to deal with left-wing extremism in the country.

“The action plan, approved by the Union Government, will be set in motion very soon. The operations would be focused,” CRPF DG, A.S. Gill told reporters.

Gill also said the forces will very soon have “more successes” and new battalions of the CRPF and the specialised anti-naxal force CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) would take their positions in the affected areas by the end of this year.

Terming naxals as the “enemies to the security of the country”, Gill said the specialised forces would adopt new counter strategies to take on the Maoists.

“The terrain where the forces are operating are difficult. Naxals are in large numbers in these places. There will be more focused operations and we will deploy new counter strategies,” Gill said.

He strongly condemned Thursday’s attack in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra where 17 policemen were killed.

The Cabinet Committee of Security (CCS) chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has approved the Government’s new plan to counter Maoists under which the infested States will have an effective coordination and the police will take a lead role.

According to the plan worked out by the Union Home Ministry, the anti-naxal operations will be undertaken in States affected by left-wing extremism and would be assisted by CoBRA.

The strategy cleared by the CCS says that once an area is cleared of the Maoists, developmental activities could be carried out in full swing so that the ultras cannot return.

Air Force and BSF helicopters will be used for reinforcements and evacuation of casualties only, and not for any offensive action.

The operations will be carried out in 20 States affected by the Maoist menace and they will also share intelligence.

The police will have the mandate to cross inter-State borders in the hunt for the naxals.

The CCS clearance came in the backdrop of a police inspector being beheaded by naxals in Jharkhand and gunning down of 17 policemen by Maoists in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra.