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Naxals gun down 17 cops in Maharashtra

Gadchiroli, October 8
In a brazen attack, Naxals today ambushed a police patrol party and gunned down 17 policemen here, a day after Union Home Minister P Chidambaram gave a stern warning to the left-wing extremists to abjure violence or face action.

The policemen, including a Sub-Inspector, on patrol duty walked into an ambush set up by about 200 Naxals under the Laheri police station of the district, bordering Chhattisgarh, and were shot dead in an encounter that lasted over three hours.

The bloodbath comes two days after a Jharkhand police intelligence officer was beheaded by the Maoists in Ranchi district of the state. The Gadchiroli attack took place a few hours before the Cabinet committee on security (CCS) chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the national capital discussed the growing Naxal threat in various parts of the country and measures required to counter it.

A police party of around 40 personnel was conducting search operations in the district following intelligence inputs that Naxalites had assembled in the area. While returning, it suddenly came under heavy fire, District Collector Atul Patne said.

Sub-Inspector CS Deshmukh and 16 other jawans were killed in the encounter, Patne said. The Left-wing extremists used sophisticated weapons in the attack, he added.

“Two platoons of the BSF (50 personnel) and additional policemen were rushed to the spot and they managed to save the rest of the policemen caught in the fire,” he said.

The Naxal attack came five days ahead of the assembly elections in the state.

The killings took place 2 km from the Lahiri police post in Bhamragad tehsil of the district. The Centre today rushed additional paramilitary forces to Gadchiroli district.

Anti-Naxal plan okayed
Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 8
Following a two-hour marathon meeting today evening, the cabinet committee on security (CCS) is learnt to have approved the home ministry’s plan to launch a major and sustained offensive against Naxalite rebels that will convey a “tough stance” of the ruling Congress-led UPA government on the issue.

Separately, a difference of opinion has emerged within the Indian security establishment over using the specialist Rashtriya Rifles — a force totally manned by the Indian army — alongside the paramilitary forces to counter the threat. The matter was also discussed by the CCS, said a source while adding various aspects of the home ministry’s new anti-Naxal plan were discussed at today’s meet.

Defence Minister AK Antony refused to comment on the specifics but said “we don’t want to enlarge the role of the armed forces in the management of internal security”.

Antony also said no decision had been taken so far on the Indian Air Force’s request to fire at Naxals in self-defence. “We at the defence ministry are still studying the proposals”, he told reporters.

Even as the defence ministry is not keen on increasing the load on its forces, sources said certain segments of the establishment want the major offensive against the Maoists should have some elements of the Rashtriya Rifles and also the Special Forces of the army. The RR has distinguished itself in fighting counterinsurgency in Kashmir.

“It will be an all out offensive there will no half steps and the planning needs to be such”, a senior functionary told The Tribune. The tough stance will be unveiled in the days to come. This comes just hours after the Maoists rejected an appeal by Home Minister P Chidambaram to lay down their arms”.

According to the sources, paramilitary forces will be provided with ground level intelligence and full backup. The central government has rushed a BSF contingent to the Gadricholi in Maharashtra where Maoists launched an attack on police personnel.

Talking to reporters at Hindon (UP), IAF chief Air Chief Marshal PV Naik said if the CCS cleared the proposal the air force will deploy its commando units, the ‘garuds’, to defend its helicopters and men. He made it clear “it isn’t a free for all like 'Rambo', meaning we’ll go and fire in the countryside. I’m totally against the armed forces - army, navy and air force - being used in internal situations. We are meant to defend threats from across the border”. Naik said there would be very stringent stipulations to help identify where the fire is coming from, and where to use minimum force to ensure minimum collateral damage in case IAF has to retaliate. He maintained the air force was not deploying its armed helicopters or aircraft to bomb any area in Naxalite-affected regions. “Its choppers are operating in rescue and casualty evacuation only”, he added.