Indian gov't to track financial dealings of Naxalite rebels

NEW DELHI, April 23 (Xinhua) -- The Indian government has reportedly approved the setting up of a special wing of its anti-terror agency to track the monetary dealings of left-wing rebels.

The National Investigation Agency will soon have the special wing that has been approved by the Indian Home Ministry recently, given that several top leaders of Naxalite rebels are involved in money-laundering, unnamed officials were quoted as saying.

Sources said Monday that the move would financially cripple the Naxalite movement.

Naxalites are currently active in at least seven Indian states, including Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.

The Naxalite insurgency began in the eastern state of West Bengal in late 1960s, spreading to more than one-third of India's 600-plus administrative districts.

Though major offensives by security forces in recent years have pushed the rebels back to their forest strongholds and the levels of violence have fallen, hit-and-run attacks are still common, killing hundreds of people, mostly security personnel, every year. Enditem