Latest news with #anti-Naxal
Time of India
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Cops get swift promotions in Chhattisgarh for anti-Maoist ops
Cops get swift promotions in Chhattisgarh for anti-Maoist ops RAIPUR: The Chhattisgarh government has granted out-of-turn promotions to 295 police personnel in recognition of acts of bravery in combating Maoists as the state pushes on towards its goal of eliminating Naxal insurgency by March 2026. An order issued by DGP Arun Deo Gautam stated that police personnel who displayed exceptional courage during anti-Naxal operations across the region are being rewarded with accelerated promotions. Promotions have been given to lower and middle-rank personnel from the district police, Special Task Force (STF), and intelligence units. According to the order, 206 constables have been promoted to head constables and 37 head constables to assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs). Fifteen ASIs are now SIs, and 16 SIs are inspectors. Three platoon commanders have been promoted to company commanders, six assistant platoon commanders have been elevated to platoon commanders, and three dozen personnel have been promoted to assistant platoon commanders. Sharing the order copy on social media, deputy chief minister Vijay Sharma, who is also the home minister, said, "All the security personnel have displayed indomitable courage and bravery while fighting on the frontlines against Maoists to protect the Constitution and democracy. With the strength of soldiers, the future is definitely filled with development, happiness, peace and new enthusiasm in Bastar." Later, Sharma told reporters, "The era of Red terror in Bastar is coming to an end, thanks to the unmatched bravery of the state's security forces." As per Chhattisgarh police records, 425 Maoists have been killed in encounters, 1,444 arrested, and 1,406 have surrendered since last year.
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Chhattisgarh: Heroic Bastar cops get out-of-turn promotions for anti-Maoist operations
RAIPUR: In recognition of their bravery in combating Maoists, Chhattisgarh govt has granted out-of-turn promotions to 295 police personnel. An order issued by DGP Arun Deo Gautam says that police personnel who displayed exceptional courage during anti-Naxal operations across the region are being rewarded with accelerated promotions. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Many havildars have become ASIs and promotions were given to lower and middle rank personnel from district police forces, the Special Task Force (STF), and intelligence units. According to the order, 206 constables have been promoted as head constables, 37 head constables as Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASIs), 15 ASIs as Sub-Inspectors (SIs), 16 SIs as inspectors, three platoon commanders to as company commanders, six assistant platoon commanders as platoon commanders and three 12 personnel were promoted as assistant platoon commanders. Sharing the order copy on social media, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, who also holds the home portfolio, said, "Hearty congratulations to 295 police personnel of Chhattisgarh Police, who are working with valour, courage and dedication in Maoist-affected areas, for their out-of-turn promotion." "All the security personnel have displayed indomitable courage and bravery while fighting in the frontline against Maoists to protect the Constitution and democracy. With the strength of the arms of soldiers, the future will definitely be filled with development, happiness, peace and new enthusiasm in Bastar," Sharma stated. There's only one jawan among those promoted, who's posted in Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki district in the Durg division, while all others are posted in Bastar division in different capacities in police, Special Task Force and intelligence branch. Bastar division comprises seven districts -- Dantewada, Bijapur, Bastar, Narayanpur, Kondagaon, Sukma and Kanker. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Speaking to reporters, Deputy CM Sharma said, 'The era of Red terror in Bastar is coming to an end, thanks to the unmatched bravery and unwavering commitment of the state's security forces.' Chhattisgarh police records stated that 425 Maoists have been killed in encounters, 1,444 arrested, and 1,406 have surrendered. These individuals had a combined bounty of Rs 22 crore on their heads.
New Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
NIA joins probe into Maoist loot of 4,000 kg explosives in Odisha's Sundargarh
BHUBANESWAR: Two days after suspected left-wing extremists (LWEs) looted a huge cache of explosives from a truck headed to a stone quarry in Sundargarh district, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday joined the investigation considering the sensitive nature of the incident. While security forces in neighbouring states have doubled down on anti-Naxals operations by targeting and eliminating key leadership of the outlawed outfit, the loot has come as a worry since Maoists operating in Jharkhand's Saranda forests rely on improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to carry out attacks. This prompted Odisha Police and its anti-Naxal agency Special Operation Group (SOG) to launch a major flush-out drive along the bordering region. 'An NIA team visited Rourkela to investigate the incident. Preliminary probe suggests left-wing extremists operating from Saranda forests in West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand were involved in the loot of the blasting explosives,' western range DIG, Brijesh Rai told mediapersons. Sources said looted explosives weighed about 4,000 kg. There were about 200 boxes consisting of blasting explosives. Each box had about nine gelatin sticks and weighed about 20 to 25 kg. 'As vigorous anti-Naxal operations are continuing in Chhattisgarh, the ultras are wary that security forces' next target could be their stronghold in Saranda forest,' said a senior police officer.
The Print
a day ago
- Politics
- The Print
Abujhmarh op shut Basavaraju chapter of Maoist insurgency. How homegrown DRG gave forces edge
For Chhattisgarh police, all moving parts fell into place to give way to the high-stakes anti-insurgency operation which was unlike any the state had witnessed. But none of it would've been possible without the off-field and on-the-field roles played by District Reserve Guard (DRG), which comprises to some extent Maoists who have returned to the mainstream. On 21 May, security forces killed 27 Maoists including 12 women following two days of fierce exchange of gunfire. Among those killed was Basavaraju , who took over as general secretary in 2018 and carried a reward of at least Rs 3 crore. New Delhi: Having spent weeks sifting through intelligence gathered by way of multiple sources and corroborated with the help of a vast network of human and technological assets, Narayanpur Superintendent of Police (SP) Prabhat Kumar and his team had a prized scalp in sight—Nambala Keshava Rao alias Basavaraju, the elusive general secretary of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist). Intelligence placed Basavaraju, 70, deep inside Abujhmarh, the dense forest spanning around 5,000 sq km between Narayanpur, Kanker, Bijapur, and Dantewada in Chhattisgarh's Bastar division. Among these are former Maoists who brought to the table their knowledge about a special unit within the armed wing of CPI (Maoist) responsible for protecting the top leadership. Formally created in 2015, DRG played a key role in collecting and verifying inputs on Basavaraju's movements, besides assisting security forces with tactical nuances during the operation. Bastar Range Inspector General of Police (IG) Sundarraj Pattilingam told ThePrint that the DRG has 'turned out to be the primary strike force against the Maoists'. IG Sundarraj explained that DRG personnel are locally recruitedt and the specialised force gives boys and girls from interiors and remote parts of Bastar an opportunity to 'protect their land and people'. He added that their knowledge about 'the hilly and jungle terrain, tribal languages, local customs, etc., is proving to be a game changer in the anti-Naxal operational front'. Though DRG was instrumental in neutralising hundreds of Maoist cadres, he said, the operation which resulted in the elimination of Basavaraju is the 'ultimate achievement'. The IPS officer added that more than 2,000 DRG jawans are deployed in Left Wing Extremism-affected districts in Bastar. Still recovering from a foot fracture, Yogesh Madvi has only one complaint about the latest counter-insurgency operation—that he couldn't be part of it. A former Maoist who surrendered arms more than a decade ago, Madvi hails from Chintalnar village that saw the deadliest attack by Maoists on security forces, in April 2010, in which 74 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans and two Chhattisgarh police personnel were killed. Madvi, now 49, was with CPI (Maoist) for 14 years until 2012 and was also a part of the banned outfit's organisational wing. He joined DRG in 2014. On how Maoism came into his life, he told ThePrint, 'I joined the party in 1988 when they were popular in our villages, and they talked about forests, land, and water—the three most important components for tribals like us. But in my experience of more than a decade, they are ridden by sycophancy and factionalism and have no alternative vision for the common people.' Madvi said he never met top leaders including Basavaraju, 'nor could I meet my ailing parents who died in my absence'. Madvi's father died in 2014, and his mother in 2020 but he could not see either of them for fear of villagers informing on him to the Maoists. 'My mother came to meet me in hiding, but she was threatened and harassed by the party. My brother was threatened not to lodge a police complaint,' he said. Former Maoists like Madvi account for nearly 15-20 percent of DRG, which primarily comprises individuals locally recruited by the state police three years ago to join another specialised unit, the Bastar Fighters. 'In addition to these categories, troops are handpicked from the district after their induction into the force based on their promises and potential. They are our best men for the job,' said a senior state police officer who did not wish to be named. Among the top brass of the state police, there is little room for doubt when it comes to the key role surrendered Maoist cadres play in ensuring the success of counter-insurgency operations like the one that resulted in Basavaraju's elimination earlier this month. Also Read: Bastar armed with new weapons to end Maoism once & for all. Roads, ration cards & CRPF gurukul Company No. 7 & how op unfolded As the banned outfit's general secretary, Basavaraju was entitled to heavy security cover overseen by Company No. 7 of the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA), armed wing of the CPI (Maoist). A senior police officer privy to operational planning revealed that 'surrendered cadres who had previously worked in PLGA Company No. 7 were the crucial difference this time between a successful operation and just another failed attempt' to neutralise Basavaraju. 'They played a key role in the planning and execution stages of the operation since they knew how to operate in the area where PLGA Company No. 7 operates. They knew the tactical nuances of Company No. 7 as well as their escape tactics,' the officer added. The three-day operation was launched after the go-ahead from the top brass on the afternoon of 18 May. Troops began their journey on foot from three directions—Dantewada, Narayanpur, and Dantewada inside Abujhmarh—that same night. They covered 36 km that night in order to take positions around pre-decided areas in time as planned. The operational task, though, was not as straightforward. After exchange of gunfire on 19 and 20 May, there was some apprehension that Basavaraju may have escaped. But security forces relied on real-time information sharing among ground commanders and senior officers to stay put. 'Basavaraju and his security apparatus got scattered from other cadres in the area after frequent exchange of fire on the first two days. At the start of operation, forces focus on spreading their area of dominance to avoid incidents of ambush. This scattering of forces in a large dense forest area allowed them to escape troops on the first two days,' a second senior police officer explained. But this time troops on the ground were prepared not to give Basavaraju and his aides any opportunity to escape which is why possible escape routes were plugged by DRG teams from Bijapur and Dantewada. The plan, a third police officer added, was to move the troops west of the primary spot. 'However, troops on the ground relayed that there was a high probability of the Maoists' movement in the eastern direction. Considering their unmatched records of reading operational situations correctly, the senior officers pressed ahead with their inputs.' Around 7 am on the morning of 21 May, a sentry part of Basavaraju's security spotted a DRG jawan and opened fire. The jawan identified as Khotluram Korram (38), from Bhatbeda village in Narayanpur's Orcha, was the only casualty security forces suffered in exchange of gunfire with Maoists during this operation. But this turned out to be the precipitating factor that alerted all troops, leading to the final exchange of gunfire in which 27 Maoists, including Basavaraju, were killed. The critical task of identifying the CPI (Maoist) general secretary too fell on a former Maoist who was with Company No. 7. 'It was the culmination of solid intelligence networks of DRG jawans, years of knowledge of surrendered cadres and their ability to pre-empt tactics of PLGA Company No. 7 that produced this historic result for the state,' a fourth police officer underlined. Additionally, a fifth police officer emphasised the effect surrendered cadres have on direct and new recruits. 'They bring with them the experience that they are not as strong as they used to be a decade or two ago. These cadres come with the understanding that they're no match for the sophisticated weapons and modern intel gathering apparatus DRG jawans are equipped with. Their understanding of Maoists' limitations rubs off on other jawans in the operations team as a confidence-building measure.' DRGs 'not prisoners of linear thinking' For Inspector Mukesh Tati (41), every counter-insurgency operation DRG executes is the culmination of a well-established procedure. Tati, who joined DRG six years after joining the state police force in 2008, has been part of several such operations. Hailing from Konta in Sukma district, he joined the specialised force despite knowing his decision could expose his parents to the Maoist threat. 'What works for them can also work for us. We are from the same villages they are. We were born and brought up in the same jungles and terrains as them and went on to dominate. The tide is now turning, for good.' Currently posted in Dantewada, which is no longer a district of concern as far as Left Wing Extremism is concerned, Tati has enrolled all three of his children into a local school. According to Dantewada SP Gaurav Rai, there is 'no match' for DRG jawans like Tati in terms of 'awareness of the area and superiority in operations'. 'Moreover, they have not come with any baggage of failure or botched operations. Precise operations, which have been very successful, only boosted their morale,' he added. Bijapur SP Jitendra Kumar Yadav said DRG jawans are the elite among Chhattisgarh police for their familiarity with local languages, terrains as well as their fearless approach. Another senior police officer outlined that DRG jawans 'are not deployed in law and order duties like other units; this demarcated mandate has kept them ready to go for cumbersome operations, in remote areas of Bastar'. 'By the work they put in during operations, there is a misperception that DRG is only a force that carries out operations. Contrary to that, DRG troops spend more time with laptops, scanning coordinates on Google Maps and other technologies than they operate with guns,' said Narayanpur SP Prabhat Kumar, who, along with Additional SP (Operations) Robinson Guria, forged the initial plan for the massive three-day operation. He added that DRG jawans have trounced preconceived notions. 'They have proved that Abujhmarh is unsafe even for their topmost leaders, let alone lower-level ones. Instead of coming to Abujhmarh for safety, they are now fleeing Abujhmarh.' According to him, recent successes in counter-insurgency operations can also be attributed to the move away from the 'linear thinking' strategy that Left Wing Extremism can only be dealt with through incremental improvements in social indicators and results over time. 'The pre-established approach of freeing one area after another starts from the nearer area, moves deeper, starts acting on junior cadres, and then targets higher cadres. The DRGs are not prisoners of this linear thinking,' he told ThePrint. (Edited by Amrtansh Arora) Also Read: In aftermath of Bastar operation, an eerie silence, speculation & fear of reprisal from Maoists
The Wire
a day ago
- Politics
- The Wire
Karnataka Govt to Constitute Special Action Force in Three Districts to Tackle Communal Incidents
Menu हिंदी తెలుగు اردو Home Politics Economy World Security Law Science Society Culture Editor's Pick Opinion Support independent journalism. Donate Now Government Karnataka Govt to Constitute Special Action Force in Three Districts to Tackle Communal Incidents The Wire Staff 12 minutes ago The special action force will be established in Dakshina Kannada, Shivamogga and Udupi districts and will have three companies. Representative image of Karnataka police. Photo: PTI Real journalism holds power accountable Since 2015, The Wire has done just that. But we can continue only with your support. Contribute now New Delhi: Following the orders of the Karnataka government, a special action force will be constituted to tackle communal incidents, comprising personnel from the anti-Naxal force. The special action force will be established in Dakshina Kannada, Shivamogga and Udupi districts and will have three companies, reported Deccan Herald. The decision to constitute the special action force was taken after the murder of Abdul Rahim in Dakshina Kannada earlier this week. The police have arrested three people – Deepak (21), Prithviraj (21) and Chintan (19) – all residents of Bantwal taluk for the murder. According to Dakshina Kannada SP Yatish N. Deepak had contacted Rahim over phone, asked him to supply sand, and later, when he was unloading the sand he was attacked by the accused who were armed with swords. Earlier this month, the district had also witnessed the murder of Hindu activist and history-sheeter Suhas Shetty. According to the order issued by the Karnataka government on May 28, 248 personnel, including a senior deputy inspector general of police (DIGP) rank officer, will be a part of this force. The role of the special action force will include having an intelligence unit comprising a technical cell for collecting and monitoring media and social media along with intelligence about hate speech, inflammatory incidents and communal incidents. It will also create an early warning system through surveillance and human intelligence on potential communal violence, will undertake confidence-building measures through area dominance exercises and take measures to identify and monitor radicalisation. The special action force will also take steps to deploy officers/personnel by the zonal IGP in cases of communal violence. 'The order has been issued to immediately set up and enforce the special action force. Necessary help and aid will be provided and needed steps will be taken by the Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG & IGP). The three districts are considered very sensitive. Anyone who incites communal violence won't be spared, and action will be initiated against them as per the law,' said Karnataka home minister G. Parameshwara on Thursday (May 29). Make a contribution to Independent Journalism Related News Karnataka Temple Trust Issues Apology to Muslims After BJP MLA's Inflammatory Speech Those Opposing Caste Survey in Karnataka are Among the Most Socially Advanced Communities in the State Karnataka BJP Leader Asks DC 'If She is From Pakistan', Booked For Inciting Hatred Against Muslims The Politics of 'Heart Lamp' Is Profound, Urgent and Reflects the Lived Reality of Millions Unexpected Fallout of Op Sindoor Has Been Tilt in Pakistan's Military Balance Toward Its Air Force MP: How Media Trial of a Rape Case in Bhopal Fuelled Communal Hate Chhattisgarh: Christian Family Hounded by Hindutva Mob, Forced Into Hiding; Police Refuses FIR Political Rent-seeking of Armed Forces is Detrimental to Democracy Petition in Madhya Pradesh HC Over Communal Coverage of Rape Case in Bhopal About Us Contact Us Support Us © Copyright. All Rights Reserved.
