NEW DELHI, April 30 (UPI) --
India's police said they seized 1,170 weapons this year from Maoist rebels in Jharkhand and Bihar states.
"The responsibility for maintenance of law and order including dealing with Naxalite activities lies primarily in the domain of the concerned state government," Junior Interior Minister Sri Prakash Jaiswal told Parliament.
Maoists are called Naxalites in India as their armed struggle began in the 1970s in Naxabari, West Bengal state.
He said state governments also undertake investigation and prosecution of crimes. On the assistance the federal government provides to Maoist-hit states, he said the central government maintains a close watch on the situation and supplements the efforts and resources of state governments by various means.© 2008 United Press International. All Rights Reserved.
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