Maoists focussing on weapons R&D,snipers, lift drones, para teams
   Date :28-May-2023

moist
 
■ By Kartik Lokhande :
 
THE Maoists must be called terrorists who have waged a full-scale war against the country. For, a study of some incidents in the past few years and the latest inputs with the security grid of the country make it clear that the Maoists are focussing on research and development (R&D) in weapons, manufacture of certain weapons, training snipers for operating AK-47 guns with telescopes, and also having ‘para teams’ to target the security forces. The Technical Department of CPI (Maoist) looks after R&D, and manufactures Barrel Grenade Launcher (BGL) weapons, BGL shells, single-shot weapons, 8 mm rifles, short weapons, magazines etc. Hiduma, Central Committee member, has been monitoring this particular unit. Maoists devoting much of effort to procurement, tweaking, and manufacturing of such weapons and IEDs has come across as a serious challenge for the security forces in the past some time. Media reports around a year ago stated that in some attacks in 2021-22, Maoists had fired 150-200 BGL shells at the security forces mostly in south Bastar area of Chhattisgarh. More dangerously, the Maoists have procured drone also.
 
As per the information gathered by the Intelligence sources, the Maoist leadership has procured drone for surveillance of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camps. In 2019, a unified command of Central security and Intelligence agencies had issued ‘shoot at sight’ orders to security forces deployed across LeftWing Extremism affected States in the wake of an incident wherein drones were seen hovering over a strategically important CRPF camp in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh. Later, in 2020, there were reports of drones spotted over three police posts in Gadchiroli district including Hedri, Kothi, and Gatta. The security forces had reportedly fired at the flying object. Now, the agencies have learned that the Red terrorists are planning to procure ‘lift drones’ carrying heavy explosive material to attack the CRPF camps. Already, they have conducted trials of drone flying over camps of security forces in Chintalnar and Jagurgonda. Already, Maoists have started deploying snipers having telescopes mounted on guns.
 
A cadre identified by the name Katatam Deva is said to be the best sniper operating AK-47 with telescope, and he inflicted heavy loss to security forces during actions. The Sniper Team batallion of Maoists has trained 35-40 snipers in operating AK-47 with telescope. Besides, it is learnt that the CPI (Maoist) has Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee SMC and battalion has formed ‘para teams’ for attacking camps of security forces and security forces during TCOC. Each team consists of two motorcycleborne members including one rider and another pillion rider. The pillion rider will be carrying AK-47 rifle. The motorcycle-borne team plans to move in front of camps of security forces and the pillion rider will open burst fire to inflict maximum damage to the forces. Sources said that the Maoists have procured some motorcycles for such ‘para teams’, taking advantage of the fact that in many villages specially the youngsters have purchased motorcycles. Apart from using square box type directional mine manufactured by their Technical Department, the Maoists are planning to ‘invite’ the police parties with the help of GPS trackers sent out by police. This seems to reflect that the police strategy of sending someone with GPS trackers to track Maoists, has been busted and now Maoists are trying to use the same to lure cops into ambushes.