Sukma attack: Police posters declare reward money for information on perpetrators

On Friday, Sukma police released posters declaring they would reward money those who could provide information about the Maoists behind the Sukma attack and that the perpetrators of the attack were wanted dead or alive , ANI reported.

On Friday, Sukma police released posters declaring they would reward money those who could provide information about the Maoists behind the Sukma attack and that the perpetrators of the attack were wanted dead or alive , ANI reported. 

 

This comes on the heels of the Maoist cadre that attacked and killed 25 CRPF personnel at Burkapal in Sukma district on 24 April in an ambush, attempting to justified its action by releasing a purported audio on Thursday.The audio clip, allegedly released by the political outfit of the Maoists — the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee of CPI (Maoist) — claimed that they unleashed attacks on CRPF personnel on 11 March and 24 April in order to give a befitting reply to the government, its 'fascist forces' and Operation Green Hunt.In the 16 minute 42 second audio clip in Hindi, the spokesperson of the banned CPI (Maoist), Vikalp has hailed the commanders of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA), foot soldiers, party cadre and all those who helped in unleashing the attack in the form of an ambush.

"In 2016, the government had led barbaric attacks on our cadre and killed nine of our people and villagers in Chhattisgarh and 21 in Odisha. The ambush and attacks (on CRPF) at Chintangufa should be seen in light of these barbaric killings and sexual violence against tribal women. As a mark of protest we were compelled to take action," claimed Vikalp.Meanwhile, the CRPF has decided to enhance the number of lethal counter-insurgency operations in the worst Naxal hit south Bastar region of Chhattisgarh.[caption id="attachment_3412284" align="alignleft" width="380"] 25 CRPF jawans were killed in a Maoist ambush. PTI[/caption]Acting Director General (DG) of the CRPF, Sudeep Lakhtakia said the ambush has "naturally called for the revision of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)" in these areas. He said the force has decided to undertake these new measures as it will continue to secure the road construction work that helps to bring development to these remote areas of central India."We have decided to change the strategy. We have learnt some lessons. While I cannot go into the details, I can tell you that we will undertake re-deployment of our forces and will also enhance the quantity and quality of special counter-insurgency operations," the DG told PTI, a day after he visited the ambush site in Sukma's Burkapal.The force will have to ensure that the enemy does not attempt any surprises on it. "We track and engage them well before," he said.So, while half of the personnel will do road construction security and other similar tasks, the other half will do special counter-insurgency operations, the acting DG said.The director general of the CRPF, which has deployed a total of 28 battalions in Chhattisgarh with ten being only in the Bastar region, said the new action plan of the force will be to effectively dominate the area. A regular Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) battalion comprises about 1,000 personnel.Lakhtakia, however, said in such operations where the troops have to be out in open for long and the terrain is treacherous, the SOPs and strategies have to be "revised as and when required" and that is what they were doing.He said a preliminary analysis of the ambush spot, where 25 men were killed on April 24, indicates that four sections of the CRPF men were separated by a distance of about 600-750 metres with bullets flying around."The Naxals were tracking the troops... They attacked the men after deciding the time and place of the attack. They used human shields of local villagers," the DG said, adding it apparently the personnel were having their lunch when the first assault took place."The sequence of the events will take some time to construct... An inquiry is already in progress and that will tell us more," he said.Establishing if any violation of SOPs took place or any other lapses occurred will only come forth after the inquiry completes, he said.Lakhtakia said the reports of possible mutilation of bodies of some jawans is yet to be ascertained. Meanwhile, senior officials engaged in anti-Naxal operations said some special operations, under the command of the elite jungle warfare unit of the CRPF — CoBRA — willsoon be launched in the south Bastar region including Sukma, Dantewada, Kondagaon, Bijapur and Jagdalpur areas.The troops will be serviced with a dedicated air support of at least four choppers based in the vicinity of these areas and a fleet of three Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).The UAVs undertake long haul sorties from their base in Bhilai in the state over the forests of Bastar and around the southern tip of the state that borders Odisha, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.With inputs from agencies