Drones monitor Maoist movement

An unmanned aerial vehicle used by the CRPF in Bihar. Picture by Sanjay Choudhary

Patna, May 29: Two drones were pressed into service in the past couple of days to monitor Maoist movement in areas considered inaccessible for security forces in the state.

A source in the police headquarters said Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) used the drones — unmanned aerial vehicles — in anti-Maoist operations in Aurangabad, Gaya and Jamui districts. The operation was conducted on Tuesday and Wednesday in dense forests and hilly terrains, including Aurangabad’s Chanho forest area.

The ministry of home affairs has provided the drones to the state to conduct anti-Maoist operations. They were used to contain activities of the rebels in Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh.

A CRPF officer said: “For the first time, drones are being used for anti-Maoist operations in Bihar. Though the CRPF have had the devices for long, they were not being used properly.”

Equipped with global positioning system (GPS), the drones relay real-time location, movement of Maoists and conversation on the ground.

CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) deputy commandant T.P. Singh said the drones made sorties in Aurangabad, Gaya and Jamui district. These districts have recorded the most number of Maoist incidents in the recent past. He revealed that the drones had been pressed into service to keep an eye on Maoists’ movements in their strongholds in the north Bihar plains and forest areas of south and central Bihar.

The Chakarbandha forests in Gaya’s Dumaria block still posed a stiff challenge for the security forces, but Singh said they would focus on the areas soon. “It is easier to carry out operations in the plains than in the hilly terrain. Chances of encounter with the Naxalites are more in the hilly terrain,” Singh added.

A senior officer associated with the anti-Maoist operations said after the induction of the drones, the security personnel have been able to pick up conversation on the ground and movement of the Maoists. “The drones flash real-time images of the movement and conversation of the Maoists and send the data immediately to the commandos. We can also get pictures of the exit routes of the rebels with the help of the drones and take action accordingly,” the officer said.

In 2013, as many as 42 civilians and 27 security personnel were killed in anti-Maoist operations. Senior officers said the drones would allow the security forces to further crack down upon Maoists.

Inspector-general (operations) Amit Kumar said at least 36 Maoist leaders, had been arrested in the state recently. Santosh Ram, an alleged Maoist involved in the murder of a police officer in 2009, was arrested from Muzaffarpur today.

He added: “We have been able to catch several Maoists evading arrest for decades. Since most of the incidents have been reported from Jamui, Aurangabad and Gaya districts, our focus is to contain the rebels’ activities in those areas first.”

The CRPF has been assigned the task to combat Naxalism in the country. Sources said 23 companies of the CRPF and two CoBRA companies have been deployed in Bihar for anti-Maoist operations.

Source: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1140530/jsp/odisha/story_18416868.jsp#.U4fmc9yaW-c