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

Naxals-CRPF Encounter in Sukma, Ammunition Recovered

A brief encounter took place today between the CRPF and Naxalites in the forests of Sukma district in Chhattisgarh leading to recovery of arms and ammunition.

Officials said the encounter took place under the Gorkha police station area of the Maoist-affected district of Bastar region of the state.

The encounter, after which the Naxals fled, led to the recovery of a gun of local make, two magazines of self-loading rifles, a hand grenade and 23 rounds of other ammunition.

Security forces have launched a combing operation in the area, they said.

Source: http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=841821

SOP lapses at Dumka, cops under scanner

The Maoist strike on an election party claiming eight lives in Dumka shattered a brief lull in Jharkhand which otherwise witnessed a relatively peaceful three-phase polling, besides raising serious questions over the deployment of paramilitary forces and the state police’s claim of self-sufficiency.

Primary analysis has revealed there were serious lapses in observing the Standard Operating Procedure for which Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police could be held responsible. However, concerned officials were in a bind over taking action against the two as both DC Harsh Mangalam and SP Nirmal Kumar Mishra are considered close to Chief Minister and local MLA Hemant Soren.

The polling officials and Jharkhand police personnel were part of a team that was returning in a mini bus to the district headquarters after polling in the Shikaripara assembly segment. The vehicle hit a Maoist-planted IED on the Sarsajor-Palasi road and was damaged. Poll officials were advised to take buses in a Maoist-affected area and walk back with EVMs to the district headquarters.

Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar said, “We had ensured peaceful elections by keeping strictly to the SOP. We will have to examine what went wrong here.”

Lambodhar Mahato, the sector magistrate travelling in the Tata Magic, allegedly took it to booths 100 and 101, located at primary school in Jamkandar and upgraded middle school in Asma.

But, who gave orders to him? “At the moment, it would be wrong to point fingers at the DC as there is nothing that suggests that he gave the orders,” said Jharkhand’s Chief Electoral Officer P K Jajoria, adding that two sets of EVMs were damaged in the blasts and that there would be a re-poll.

A police source, however, said, “The DC is new, he does not understand the risks. In order to complete the polls early, he allowed the bus to go in.”

While CRPF personnel posted at booth 100 walked, the police personnel boarded the bus. As a result, no CRPF personnel was killed the attack.

Four personnel from the Dumka district police and one from the Garhwa police were killed, while five policemen were wounded. A State Bank of India staffer, a Dairy Development Board employee and the cleaner of the mini bus also died in the attack. At least three civilians, including the driver, sustained injuries.

The incident picks holes in the state’s police claim that it was ready for a central forces-free existence and that only a slack in recruitment was keeping the CRPF here.

There are also questions being raised about force deployment — whether too many CRPF personnel were posted in the urban areas, while poorly-trained district police personnel had to man some high-risk booths.

“The CRPF was in majority in Maoist areas too. But despite us telling them repeatedly to be careful, our police officers simply do not listen,” said the Dumka SP.

Source: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/sop-lapses-at-dumka-cops-under-scanner/2/

CRPF jawans fight 'invisible enemy' in Maoist zone

LATEHAR/PALAMU: Jharkhand is a critical place as the fight is against an invisible enemy, feel CRPF personnel posted in the state that often sees Maoist violence.

CRPF personnel deployed in Latehar and Palamu, which fall in the Red zone in the state, say Maoists can launch an attack anytime and from any direction.

Deputy commandant (CRPF) B B Bhakta, who posted in Laat village under Maoist-dominated Burwadih block of Latehar, said guerrilla warfare is a different ballgame. "When the enemy is invisible, level of alertness should remain high all the time," he said.

After successfully tackling a Maoist attack on a poll booth in Laat on Thursday, Bhakta said the security personnel have to avoid paths through forests because of landmines.

"We keep changing our plan and briefs every now and then so that even if some information leaks the possibility of being trapped decreases," he said.

Hailing from Tripura, Radhe Shyam Das, ASI of CRPF Battalion deployed for election duty, has seen lot of violence in his home state but here he finds it better to move in groups and keep communication channels live round the clock. "I am in charge of radio services and am aware of the fact that a single minute of drop in radio service can cut off the team from each other when they are deployed in different corners of forest to secure the polling booth," he said.

SI Vikram Kumar, who was in Kashmir before coming to Jharkhand on election duty, had never been in a Maoist turf before. "Villagers are innocent here, they welcome us to their homes. This kind of warm reception by locals is unique here," he said.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/CRPF-jawans-fight-invisible-enemy-in-Maoist-zone/articleshow/33646747.cms

Poll officials, 5 CRPF jawans among 12 killed in two Maoist attacks in Chhattisgarh

At least 12 people, including poll officials and CRPF jawans, were killed in two Maoist attacks in Chhattisgarh today.

The first attack took place in Bijapur district where at least five poll officials were killed after the bus they were travelling in was hit by a landmine blast. The driver and helper of the bus were also killed, three others were injured.

The second attack took place in the state's Darbha valley, where an ambulance was blown up using an IED. Five CRPF jawans were killed and six were injured in the blast.

Source: http://www.ndtv.com/elections/article/election-2014/poll-officials-crpf-jawans-among-12-killed-in-two-maoist-attacks-in-chhattisgarh-507655?pfrom=home-rightnow

CRPF report reveals nexus between JDU, Naxals for electoral gains

New Delhi: CNN-IBN has accessed a CRPF report which hints at a possible link between Naxals and politicians in Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Odisha. The report says that Bihar Assembly Speaker Uday Narayan Chaudhury sought support of Naxal leaders for Lok Sabha elections.

The report claims that Chaudhary, who is the Janata Dal United's candidate from Jamui, met Naxal leader Sidhu Koda recently and sought his support for his candidature. According to the CRPF report, the Naxals assured Chaudhary of support.

The report quoted top Maoist leaders and businessmen with Naxal links to back the claims.

Dharmendra Chopra, a Chhattisgarh-based businessman who was arrested in January this year for alleged Maoist links, said that many politicians had ties with Naxals.

The report also mentions Chenda Bhushanam, a top Maoist leader who was arrested from Odisha and is alleged to have links with local politicians in the Koraput district of the state.

Source: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/crpf-report-reveals-nexus-between-jdu-naxals-for-electoral-gains/462311-37-64.html