Sunday, February 10, 2013

India government intensifies repression against peple's war but their troops are afraid



Rapid action teams to tackle Maoists
Hazaribag: Two small action teams (SAT) were constituted in the district on Friday to contain Naxalite activities in the district on the advice of the governor’s adviser Vijay Kumar, SP Manoj Kaushik said. These teams will be developed on the lines of Grey Hounds of Andhra Pradesh government for combating Red menace and minimizing dependence on CRPF and other paramilitary forces.
The SP said the team would be selected on the basis of their fitness and provided training in jungle warfare and firing skills so that they could deal on self-supporting operations, continuous operations and could chase the Naxalites continuously. Their area of operation will be in the deep forest areas, the hideouts of the rebels. “We have provided some privileges for the SAT teams in terms of additional components and relief so that they can get accommodation facilities on priority basis at the police lines. Besides, they will be given skilled training for handling the latest and sophisticated arms and weapons during the operation in the dense forests on the basis of their field of interest.” The SAT will be equipped with ammunition and security equipment, Kaushik said.
“They will also be trained in a manner so that they can be ready for operations at 15 minutes’ notice. The teams will be used or deployed only for specific purpose of combating Naxalites. They will only be shifted whenever latest training on skill development are required.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/Rapid-action-teams-to-tackle-Maoists/articleshow/18409586.cms

‘Lax coordination among agencies in Maoist areas’
“Don’t snipe at us. This is not the way to function. All agencies have to work together as a team and pull in one direction,” IAF chief Air Marshal NAK Browne said in a sharp reaction to the home ministry’s objections raised after an injured police officer was abandoned by IAF men during a anti-naxal operation recently. But the fact is that various agencies working in naxal-hit states are at odds. Several states and the paramilitary have complained about the air force’s reluctance in transporting troops and in the critical area of casualty evacuation. HT has important documentation relating to another instance, where the home ministry was forced to chase the NTRO and the IAF for gathering intelligence through UAVs. For the past two years, the ministry has been at loggerheads with the NTRO and the IAF, trying to shift the air force base – out of Begumpet, Hyderabad to Chhattisgarh -because the worst-hit districts are not being covered.
In April last year, then home minister P Chidambaram had directed that a UAV base be set up in Nandini Bhilai near Raipur in “less than two months”. But 10 months later, meetings continue to be held between MHA, NTRO and the IAF. A senior official, present at these meetings, told HT that yet another meeting was held at home secretary RK Singh’s office a fortnight ago, but nothing was resolved. Singh noted that the all-important security issue had not been given due priority by the NTRO under whose command the IAF operates.
Singh also noted that “being a scare resource, optimisation of UAV effort for operations against left wing extremists is a critical need.” He also said, “more delays will not be tolerated.” The IAF, in a written reply, said, “The IAF provides assistance in the form of training and augmented specialist manpower for operations at whichever base the NTRO operates from. The IAF recommends and is fully supportive of the move to operating bases closer to the affected areas.” Two years have lapsed and now the issue is with the national security advisor.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Lax-coordination-among-agencies-in-Maoist-areas/Article1-1008865.aspx

Security audit in Red-hit districts ordered
PATNA: The Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) has issued a letter to all the Naxalite-affected states to conduct a security audit, especially in the jails where Maoist prisoners are lodged. In pursuance to this letter, the state home (prisons) department has ordered all the SPs of the Maoist-hit districts, including Patna, to audit the available security arrangements and to enhance the security wherever necessary. According to intelligence inputs, Naxalites strike the most in February and March; so the security forces are on high alert to prevent Red violence.
With the onset of summer, the extremists desert camps in hill areas and head for home as soaring temperature makes life miserable in the forests. “It is also difficult to execute attacks during monsoon. After rains, they hold training camps, prepare blueprints of major attacks and execute them between February and April. R K Singh, home secretary, Government of India, in his letter to the state home department, recommended that the district SPs could request the district judge in the interest of security to conduct the trial of undertrial Maoist prisoners through videoconferencing.
Their lawyers should represent them during the trial proceedings and in case of lack of technological facilities, the Maoist prisoners should be transported in separate vehicles with adequate security. The incidents of Maoist prisoners using mobile phones from the prison premises have increased in recent time. To prohibit such malpractices, surprise inspections in prisons should be conducted regularly, the letter said.
The prison staff should be held responsible if mobile phones are recovered from the possession of jail inmates. Anand Kishore, IG, prisons and correctional services, said, “During surprise inspections, the cops seize mobile phones from the prison premises. They even recover many 3G phones from the jail premises. About 550 mobile phones seized from the Beur central model jail were auctioned in December last year. But the problem is the seized mobile phones are always unclaimed and it is difficult to hold any staff accountable for this.”
Talking about mobile phone jammers, Kishore said, “Technology is the major challenge for us. It takes between Rs 20 crore and 25 crore to install jammers. On an average, we have to install around 20 mobile phone jammers at each of the prison, but with the advancement in cellphone technology all the money goes in vain. So we are trying to make the jail administration strict to avoid such problems.” Incidentally, a group of Maoists, including some women, had attacked the jail van on November 9 last year and freed the Maoist prisoners who were being taken from Giridih court (in Jharkhand) to jail. Three policemen and an undertrial prisoner were killed in the attack.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Security-audit-in-Red-hit-districts-ordered/articleshow/18410823.cms

Naxalites spotted in Kodagu, combing ops begins
MADIKERI: Mangalore and Kodagu police on Thursday began combing operations following suspicious movements of some persons in Perooru village in the limits of Napoklu police station, 20 km from Madikeri taluk. Mysore IGP Ramachandra Rao who is monitoring the situation said that three men and a woman in Naxal uniform went to some houses in Perooru village and introduced themselves as fighting for the upliftment of the poor. They also collected about 25 kg of rice from the villagers and disappeared into the Theethimali forest in the hilly region, he added.
Based on this report, the Mysore IGP Ramachandra Rao, Kodagu new superintendent of police Anucheth went to Perooru and have collected some sensitve informations. Reluctant to take chances, the combing operation is being done in Perooru, Theethmalai forest area and surrounding places jointly by Kodagu and Mangalore police. With elections round the corner, the IGP said that the department does not want to take any risks. The Naxals entered Kodagu in October 2012 and were spotted in Kaloor village, 8 km from here. The ANF combed Hethur-Valnur forest area, 35 km from here.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Naxalites-spotted-in-Kodagu-combing-ops-begins/articleshow/18411969.cms

Peoples War in India Clippings 9/2/2013

Rapid action teams to tackle Maoists
Hazaribag: Two small action teams (SAT) were constituted in the district on Friday to contain Naxalite activities in the district on the advice of the governor’s adviser Vijay Kumar, SP Manoj Kaushik said. These teams will be developed on the lines of Grey Hounds of Andhra Pradesh government for combating Red menace and minimizing dependence on CRPF and other paramilitary forces.
The SP said the team would be selected on the basis of their fitness and provided training in jungle warfare and firing skills so that they could deal on self-supporting operations, continuous operations and could chase the Naxalites continuously. Their area of operation will be in the deep forest areas, the hideouts of the rebels. “We have provided some privileges for the SAT teams in terms of additional components and relief so that they can get accommodation facilities on priority basis at the police lines. Besides, they will be given skilled training for handling the latest and sophisticated arms and weapons during the operation in the dense forests on the basis of their field of interest.” The SAT will be equipped with ammunition and security equipment, Kaushik said.
“They will also be trained in a manner so that they can be ready for operations at 15 minutes’ notice. The teams will be used or deployed only for specific purpose of combating Naxalites. They will only be shifted whenever latest training on skill development are required.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/Rapid-action-teams-to-tackle-Maoists/articleshow/18409586.cms

‘Lax coordination among agencies in Maoist areas’
“Don’t snipe at us. This is not the way to function. All agencies have to work together as a team and pull in one direction,” IAF chief Air Marshal NAK Browne said in a sharp reaction to the home ministry’s objections raised after an injured police officer was abandoned by IAF men during a anti-naxal operation recently. But the fact is that various agencies working in naxal-hit states are at odds. Several states and the paramilitary have complained about the air force’s reluctance in transporting troops and in the critical area of casualty evacuation. HT has important documentation relating to another instance, where the home ministry was forced to chase the NTRO and the IAF for gathering intelligence through UAVs. For the past two years, the ministry has been at loggerheads with the NTRO and the IAF, trying to shift the air force base – out of Begumpet, Hyderabad to Chhattisgarh -because the worst-hit districts are not being covered.
In April last year, then home minister P Chidambaram had directed that a UAV base be set up in Nandini Bhilai near Raipur in “less than two months”. But 10 months later, meetings continue to be held between MHA, NTRO and the IAF. A senior official, present at these meetings, told HT that yet another meeting was held at home secretary RK Singh’s office a fortnight ago, but nothing was resolved. Singh noted that the all-important security issue had not been given due priority by the NTRO under whose command the IAF operates.
Singh also noted that “being a scare resource, optimisation of UAV effort for operations against left wing extremists is a critical need.” He also said, “more delays will not be tolerated.” The IAF, in a written reply, said, “The IAF provides assistance in the form of training and augmented specialist manpower for operations at whichever base the NTRO operates from. The IAF recommends and is fully supportive of the move to operating bases closer to the affected areas.” Two years have lapsed and now the issue is with the national security advisor.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Lax-coordination-among-agencies-in-Maoist-areas/Article1-1008865.aspx

Security audit in Red-hit districts ordered
PATNA: The Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) has issued a letter to all the Naxalite-affected states to conduct a security audit, especially in the jails where Maoist prisoners are lodged. In pursuance to this letter, the state home (prisons) department has ordered all the SPs of the Maoist-hit districts, including Patna, to audit the available security arrangements and to enhance the security wherever necessary. According to intelligence inputs, Naxalites strike the most in February and March; so the security forces are on high alert to prevent Red violence.
With the onset of summer, the extremists desert camps in hill areas and head for home as soaring temperature makes life miserable in the forests. “It is also difficult to execute attacks during monsoon. After rains, they hold training camps, prepare blueprints of major attacks and execute them between February and April. R K Singh, home secretary, Government of India, in his letter to the state home department, recommended that the district SPs could request the district judge in the interest of security to conduct the trial of undertrial Maoist prisoners through videoconferencing.
Their lawyers should represent them during the trial proceedings and in case of lack of technological facilities, the Maoist prisoners should be transported in separate vehicles with adequate security. The incidents of Maoist prisoners using mobile phones from the prison premises have increased in recent time. To prohibit such malpractices, surprise inspections in prisons should be conducted regularly, the letter said.
The prison staff should be held responsible if mobile phones are recovered from the possession of jail inmates. Anand Kishore, IG, prisons and correctional services, said, “During surprise inspections, the cops seize mobile phones from the prison premises. They even recover many 3G phones from the jail premises. About 550 mobile phones seized from the Beur central model jail were auctioned in December last year. But the problem is the seized mobile phones are always unclaimed and it is difficult to hold any staff accountable for this.”
Talking about mobile phone jammers, Kishore said, “Technology is the major challenge for us. It takes between Rs 20 crore and 25 crore to install jammers. On an average, we have to install around 20 mobile phone jammers at each of the prison, but with the advancement in cellphone technology all the money goes in vain. So we are trying to make the jail administration strict to avoid such problems.” Incidentally, a group of Maoists, including some women, had attacked the jail van on November 9 last year and freed the Maoist prisoners who were being taken from Giridih court (in Jharkhand) to jail. Three policemen and an undertrial prisoner were killed in the attack.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Security-audit-in-Red-hit-districts-ordered/articleshow/18410823.cms

Naxalites spotted in Kodagu, combing ops begins
MADIKERI: Mangalore and Kodagu police on Thursday began combing operations following suspicious movements of some persons in Perooru village in the limits of Napoklu police station, 20 km from Madikeri taluk. Mysore IGP Ramachandra Rao who is monitoring the situation said that three men and a woman in Naxal uniform went to some houses in Perooru village and introduced themselves as fighting for the upliftment of the poor. They also collected about 25 kg of rice from the villagers and disappeared into the Theethimali forest in the hilly region, he added.
Based on this report, the Mysore IGP Ramachandra Rao, Kodagu new superintendent of police Anucheth went to Perooru and have collected some sensitve informations. Reluctant to take chances, the combing operation is being done in Perooru, Theethmalai forest area and surrounding places jointly by Kodagu and Mangalore police. With elections round the corner, the IGP said that the department does not want to take any risks. The Naxals entered Kodagu in October 2012 and were spotted in Kaloor village, 8 km from here. The ANF combed Hethur-Valnur forest area, 35 km from here.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Naxalites-spotted-in-Kodagu-combing-ops-begins/articleshow/18411969.cms

Dandapani_Mohanty-295
Maoist mediator Dandapani Mohanty arrested
Berhampur: Social activist Dandapani Mohanty, who negotiated with Maoists and helped the Odisha government to resolve two abduction crises in the past, was on Friday arrested for his alleged link with the Left-wing rebels, police said. Mr Mohanty was arrested from his home in Berhampur town, about 180 km from here, a senior district police official told IANS.
“At least six non-bailable warrants were pending against him. Besides, he was found to be involved in more than a dozen of criminal cases mostly related to Left-wing violence, including blast, abduction, rioting,” the official added. Mr Mohanty’s wife, Geetanjali, expressed her surprise about the way a police team picked up Mohanty from home. “If he has Maoist links, why did police not arrest him earlier? Why did the government request him to mediate?” she told reporters. Mr Mohanty, who is an elderly communist leader and is known for his fight on rights related issues, has been critical of the government functioning, especially in recent months after his engineer son Sangram was arrested in December last year on the charge of supplying arms to the rebels. Police had also slapped five more cases against Sangram, including a rape case, earlier this week.
http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/maoist-mediator-dandapani-mohanty-arrested-328461
State gets another Specialised Reserve Battalion
As the Maoists have put on hold construction of crucial bridges and roads in Odisha, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has sanctioned another Specialised India Reserve Battalion (SIRB) to undertake infrastructure projects in the Maoists-infested zones of the State.
This will be the third of its kind as the State was earlier sanctioned two SIRBs. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had recently asked for another SIRB to be deployed in the Maoist regions. The MHA in 2011 had sanctioned two SIRBs to Odisha out of seven in the country. While one SIRB will be deployed in Malkangiri district, another will be stationed in Kandhamal. The area of deployment of the third one would be decided soon, said sources.
The MHA would fund the entire cost for the three battalions, which would be to the tune of Rs.468 crore and it would be provided in a phased manner, said the sources. This coast would include infrastructure support, arms, ammunitions and salary component. The MHA would bear the salary of the SIRB personnel for eight years and later the State Government would bear the cost. While State DGP Prakash Mishra has given green signal to the concerned authorities to start the process of recruitment for the two existing SIRBs, recruitment for the latest one would take some time, said sources.
It may be mentioned that for long years, the projects of bridges and roads in the Maoist zones of Malkangiri, Rayagada, Koraput and Kandhamal districts have been stalled as the Red rebels are adamant not to allow infrastructure projects in these areas. Works for two major bridges on River Gurupriya at Chitrakonda and River Saleru at Motu, both in Malkangiri district, are yet to be started though their foundation-stones were laid as far back as in 2000. The two bridges, when completed, will connect Odisha with neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.
Earlier, the State Government had requested the Union Minister of Defence (MoD) to allow the Border Road Organisation (BRO) to do the job, but the MoD was reluctant to take up the projects. The SIRBs would have their engineers and technicians who would be responsible for executing the basic infrastructure projects with the help of security being provided by their own force. The security unit of the new force would accompany the technical and engineering staff wherever they would be engaged in development works. The newly-raised battalions would also provide security to local contractors for executing their works.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/126348-state-gets-another-specialised-reserve-battalion.html
Acts of Adivashi ultra group cause of concern
GUWAHATI, Feb 7 – The re-emergence of militant group Adivashi People’s Army (APA) as a potent force has created concern among the security forces as it is now confirmed that the members of the outfit were involved in the blast on the railway track near Gossaigaon in Kokrajhar district on the night of February 2.
The security forces are of the view that the outfit might try more such attacks to make its presence felt and a high alert has been sounded to prevent any such sabotage by the ultras. Highly placed security sources told The Assam Tribune today that the APA is out to make its presence felt because of the slow progress of the peace talks, while, the recent arrest of senior members of the outfit by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) also provoked the recent attack. Sources said that the APA has the expertise of triggering off lethal explosions and in 2011, the outfit triggered off a major explosion on railway tracks in Rangiya. On February 2, the Delhi bound Garib Rath had a narrow escape when the militants triggered off an explosion near Gossaigaon.
Sources revealed that the APA has a number of experts who can handle explosives and it has been maintaining contacts with criminal elements in Jharkhand for some time. However, it is still not known whether the outfit has any contact with the Maoist rebels, who have strong bases in Jharkhand. At one point of time, the APA was maintaining links with the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), but after hardcore militant Hira Sarania came overground by joining the pro-talk faction, the APA and the ULFA is not maintaining any link.
The APA, along with eight other militant groups of the state, officially laid down arms before the then Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on January 24 last year to express its desire to solve their problems through talks and the main demand of the outfit was the status of Scheduled Tribe for the Adivashi people. But following the slow progress of talks with the Government, the outfit was planning to make its presence felt by indulging in acts of violence and the security agencies were aware of the designs of the outfit.
The recent arrest of four senior members of the outfit by the CBI was the immediate provocation to the outfit to show its strength. The CBI recently arrested the chairman of the outfit, along with its deputy commander-in-chief and two other senior members in connection with the murder of Don Bosco Chermako. The murder took place two years back and the case was later handed over to the CBI.
http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=feb0813/city05
Unmanned aerial vehicle base to be shifted to closer to Red corridor in Bhilai
NEW DELHI: The government has decided to move unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) base for anti-Naxal operations from Hyderabad to Bhilai in Chhattisgarh, closer to the red corridor where security forces are engaged in a bloody battle with the Left Wing Extremists (LWEs). It would also be setting up a couple of more UAV bases to improve surveillance of the insurgency area, sources said.
The move comes even as the government is looking at taking a final call on which all security and intelligence agencies should be operating strategic UAVs that have long endurance and need elaborate infrastructure to operate. Presently, the three services — Army, Navy and Air Force — and the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) operate strategic UAVs. According to sources, the UAVs of NTRO, presently based in Begumpet (Hyderabad), would be shifted to Bhilai airport.
The airport is part of the Bhiali steel plant of the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) . Sources said NTRO has completed identification of land and other facilities and the relocation is expected to be completed by the end of this year. NTRO is also tasked to identify two to three new bases for strategic UAVs that can be used for both Naxal operations as well as manage border surveillance.
The move comes in the face of complaints from CRPF, the lead force for anti-naxal operations, about the inadequacies of UAV coverage provided by NTRO. CRPF has been demanding that it be allowed to acquire its own fleet of strategic UAVs. It is already in the process of acquiring mini-drones, which can be launched from soldier’s shoulders, from a truck etc. The Union home ministry has recently asked CRPF to prepare qualitative requirements for procurement of the bigger UAVs.
According to sources, the government may initiate a process of adopting a formal policy decision about which all forces should operate strategic UAVs, in the face of various requirements, complaints and the difficulties of operating a fleet. The requirements for trained personnel, runways, hangars etc for operating strategic UAVs are the reason why the government would be designating agencies that would operate these unmanned aircraft.
Sources said UAVs have been effective on many occasions in Naxal operations. Last month, when an IAF helicopter was force landed in Naxal area, and it was abandoned along with an injured cop by the IAF commandos, a UAV kept surveillance through most of the night until security personnel arrived to secure the area. In May, 2012, when Sukma collector Alex Paul Menon was kidnapped by the Naxals, UAV surveillance had spotted the collector and his kidnappers. However, the government withdrew the UAV, when the negotiations gained momentum.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Unmanned-aerial-vehicle-base-to-be-shifted-to-closer-to-Red-corridor-in-Bhilai/articleshow/18393634.cms


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