As Chhattisgarh and Telangana gear up for assembly elections, security forces are pushing ahead in Abujmarh—the heartland of Maoist-controlled territory. Five new camps are likely to come up in the next few months, home ministry officials confirmed to CNN-News18. One of the most significant camps is likely to be in Gadchiroli district’s Wange Turi area. Though geographically this camp would be in Maharashtra, it would have a joint task force of the Maharashtra police, Chhattisgarh police, and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). “This camp should be operational soon after monsoon. We are aiming to make it operational by October,” a CRPF official said.
A camp in Wange Turi would give the security forces greater operability inside Abujmarh. But, the bigger significance, officials said, would be cutting off access to the arms factory that the Communist Party of India (Maoist) runs in the area.
In 2021, an operation by the Gadchiroli police revealed how LMGs, pipes, and guns were manufactured by Naxals in the Wange Turi factory. Sophisticated IEDs and pressure bombs—the most potent weapon used by Naxals—were also assembled at this factory.
“The presence of a joint task force, including the Maharashtra special commando force C60, will create mental pressure too on the Maoist cadre,” a security grid officer explained.
About 700-800 troops from the Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra police and the CoBRA force of CRPF could be stationed at the Wange Turi camp initially.
A second camp could also become operational in Sukma ahead of the polls.
CRPF has identified the campsite between Tondamarka and Kottapalli in Sukma. Tondamarka saw 18 Naxals being gunned down by the CRPF in Operation Prahar in 2017. The area situated deep inside Chintagufa is considered a Naxal den. The CRPF lost 25 men in Chintagufa in 2017. Following the incident, the paramilitary force has opened camps in Palodi, Kottapalli, and Elmagunda along the Chintalnar-Kistaram state highway. “The latest camp would complete the domination of the entire area along this crucial highway. It would also make it easier to launch operations in the area,” an official said.
Chhattisgarh has seen Maoist attacks on legislators and political parties ahead of elections. In 2019, BJP MLA Bhina Mandavi was gunned down four days before voting for general elections in Bastar. In May 2013, the Congress’s Chhattisgarh leadership was wiped out after a Maoist attack in Jeeram Ghati. Mahendra Karma, VC Shukla, and Nand Kumar Patel were all killed in the attack when they were returning from a poll-related campaign.
Comments
0 comment