CAS article no. 0126/2016
Courtesy: The Indian Saga , July 25 2016
Exactly a week ago, Left Wing Extremists (LWE) lured, ambushed and killed 10 commandos of elite 205th Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in a fierce gunfight at Chakarbanda-Dumarinala forest in Aurangabad district of Bihar. The valiant CoBRA commandos managed to kill three extremists and injured five, although the Maoists had advantage of secure place, darkness and topography of the hilly and forest area.
This attack again showed the Left Wing Extremism remains the foremost challenge to the country’s internal security in many of the Central States. The modus operandi of the LW extremists was also familiar by way of using Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and giving false information to lure the security personnel.
More than 200 Maoists encircled the area, planted Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) at the exit route of security forces which not only enhanced the mortality but also delayed the rescue operation. The helicopter could not salvage the injured CRPF personnel because of IEDs, ongoing encounter and difficult terrain.
It was a major casualty of CoBRA battalion which was raised in 2008 and is especially trained in jungle and guerrilla warfare.
Durga Prasad, Director General of CRPF, who visited the area soon after incident commented that there were no operational lapses and the fatalities occurred because of heavy use of IEDs by terrorists. The LWE used about 340 IEDs weighing about five kgs each.
LWE supplied disinformation to local police that top Naxal leaders of Bihar and other states will be meeting at forests of Madanpur but when security forces launched the combing operation the Maoists attacked and killed CRPF personnel.
The LWE spokesperson took the responsibility of this attack and threatened to avenge death of their party cadres.
Though the Prime Minister, Home Minister and Chief Minister expressed condolences and a compensation of Rs. 5 lakhs and insurance money of Rs. 20 lakhs will be paid to family members of martyred CRPF commandos, there is a demand that the compensation should be increased to Rs. one crore and should be paid within a week to the family members.
The LWE is a great danger to Indian democracy as it neither believes in Indian constitution nor has faith in parliamentary democracy, it wants to overthrow the legally elected government through armed revolution. Peoples Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) which is armed wing of LWE is equipped with small arms and IEDs. According to analysts, LWE has influence in about 60-65 districts of India. The LWE cadres extort more than Rs.1500 Crores in a year which is utilized in purchase of arms and ammunition and giving salary to its cadre.
LWE procures weapons from China through Myanmar, Nepal, and Bangladesh. The military controlled Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) had earlier supplied arms through Bangladesh and Punjab borders. Few terrorist outfits like Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed etc. also assisted LWE at the behest of ISI. Maoists of India are also getting assistance from Maoists of several countries including Nepal, as intelligence reports have indicated.
The Maoists have created and funded a few NGOs who are used to highlight allegations of violations of human rights whenever encounter with security forces takes place but such organizations remain silent when Maoists inflict violence and commit atrocities and brutally kill civilians. LWE is a foremost threat to India’s internal security, hence, Central as well as all affected states must chalk out a joint policy to counter this menace. Modernisation of state police is an ongoing process but other aspects like augmenting the strength of the police forces, particularly at lower levels, should also be looked into.
The intelligence agencies of Central as well as States must be strengthened so that they produce actionable intelligence. In the Jharkhand incident, Maoists gave disinformation to security agencies and as they had no source to verify the veracity of information, CRPF lost 10 of its commandos.
Nonetheless LWE is not purely a law and order problem. The Adivasis and poor residents of the area have been exploited for the past many years and still live in pitiable condition. About 20 million tribal were uprooted from their dwelling places because of building of dams, power plants, houses, farm houses and mining. Dams, power plants etc. are essential for development of the area but the locals have not benefitted by these developments. Acts like Forest Conservation Act and Mining Act also worsened the condition of local tribal population.
The LWE project themselves as saviours of tribal and profess that they are fighting for the rights of poor and downtrodden. The administration, government, landowners, contractors and security forces are attacked as they are painted as exploiters. Both Central and State governments have to work in unison and harmony for development of infrastructure and welfare of tribal population, particularly youth. Grievances of tribals should be redressed and on the other hand criminals who are using LWE as shield to extort money must be punished under the law of the land.
(Jai Kumar Verma is a Delhi-based security analyst. Views are personal.)
