Demonetisation helped choke Maoist funds: Union Home Secretary

New Delhi: Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi on Monday said the government's demonetisation move helped choke Maoist funds which is evident from their desperation to snatch firearms.

"Demonetisation has choked (Maoist) funds. Therefore they are showing desperation to snatch arms," Mehrishi said in a press briefing. 

The Prime Minister on November 8, 2016 declared Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes as illegal tender. 

The Home Secretary was replying to media queries after the day-long security review meeting here with the Chief Ministers of Maoist-affected states chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, days after at least 25 paramilitary troopers were killed by Maoists in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district.

In the April 24 Sukma attack, the bloodiest by Maoists in the country since 2010, the leftist rebels snatched as many as 21 firearms, five wireless sets, two binoculars, 22 bullet-proof jackets and a mine detector from the 74 Battalion of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

More than 3,000 live cartridges, 70 magazines and 67 Under Barrel Grenade Launchers were also snatched from the CRPF. 

A total of 83 firearms and 6,683 rounds of ammunition were robbed by Maoists between January 2012 and April 24 this year in over 10,400 violent incidents in 106 districts in 10 states: Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.