Jawans take tips from ex-Naxals in Bastar

[Zarvan]

by Rabindra Nath Choudhury
Former Naxals, who have surrendered before the police, have been roped in to familiarise Central paramilitary forces currently deployed in Maoist-infested region of Bastar in Chhattisgarh with local terrains and also give them tips on guerrilla warfare tactics adopted rebels.

At least two battalions of the Indo-Tibetan Boarder Police, who have replaced CRPF in Orcha in south Bastar district of Bastar, have currently been undergoing “exposure training” by two senior Maoist leaders, who were operating in the area a few months ago before their surrender, in deep jungles in the region, a senior district police officer disclosed this newspaper on the condition of anonymity.

“Navin Nureti, who was Telnar area committee secretary functioning under Madh Division of outlawed (CPI (Maoists), and Sampat alias Chhuttee, who was a company commander, have been roped in to familiarise the ITBP battalions deployed in Orcha falling under Abujhmad region, with local terrains and the tribal dialects and their culture.”

Besides, they have been giving tips to the Central force jawans on the guerrilla warfare tactics adopted by Maoists and their strength and limitations in guerrilla, as well as mobile warfare. They particularly taught the security forces how to ascertain presence of Maoists in dense jungles by decoding the signals sounded to them by their local associates,” the police officer revealed.

The ex-Naxals have also reportedly briefed the ITBP jawans on the strategies adopted by the Maoists to keep a track of security forces in the jungles and how not to walk into their trap and also how to walk out of their traps.

“The former rebels have also shared information on their local contacts with the commanders of the Central force who may be very helpful to them during anti-Maoist operations in the region”, the police officer added.

Jawans take tips from ex-Naxals in Bastar | The Asian Age