People’s War News 3 December

Chhatisgarh Naxal attack: Naxal mole led CRPF jawans to trap
Raipur/New Delhi: Highly placed sources in security establishment strongly believe that a ‘police informer’ on whose tip-off the search operation was launched might be a “Naxal mole.” Naxals disguised as local villagers attacked the joint force with sophisticated weapons. “We had spotted villagers, some standing at a distance and some on treetops, when we entered Kalsapara. We were taken by surprise when the same villagers suddenly took out sophisticated weapons, hidden under their clothes, and opened fire on us from all sides. Our group had suffered heavy casualty before we could regroup and retaliate,” an injured trooper, said.
A senior police officer posted in Bastar region said, “The site selected for ambush by Maoists and level of their guerrilla warfare preparations clearly indicates that it was planned much ahead. The Kalsapara ambush resembled Tadmetla Naxal attack of 2010 in which 76 CRPF jawans were massacred,” The IAF said that it could not swiftly deploy helicopters on Monday to the area of attack since there was no clarity that the landing spot in the dense forests was sanitised.
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/141203/nation-current-affairs/article/chhatisgarh-naxal-attack-naxal-mole-led-crpf-jawans-trap

Local cadres camping in Bastar planned Naxal ambush: police
Raipur: The deadly Maoist ambush, claiming lives of 14 CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district, was planned and supervised by local Naxal leaders who were reportedly camping in south Bastar for past few days, a senior police official said today. “We received several inputs that dreaded Maoist leaders of Dandakaranya region were holding meeting in forests of south Bastar-Sukma, Bijpaur and Narayanpur, worried over large number of surrenders and arrest of their cadres during the past few months,” a senior police official involved in anti-Naxal operations told PTI on condition of anonymity.
“We suspect that the attack was planned and carried out by the same group of leaders by taking the support of local lower rung supporters,” he said. The official, however, did not rule out involvement of Maoist’s Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee secretary Ramanna, the top Maoist leader of the region. Preliminary information indicates that nearly 150 armed guerrilla military cadres were positioned on three sides in the forests of Kasalpada and Elmaguda and were assisted by a supporting group of around 100 militia and sangham supporters of local villages, he said.
The Maoists certainly got a tip-off about the route of security forces during their return to camp on 1 December after a three-day-long search and area domination operation and may have set up the ambush in just a short span of time, he said. Prima facie it appears that LMG (light machine guns) used by the cadres caused much damage to the security personnel, he said. After the encounter, Naxals looted three UBGL (under barrel grenade launcher) armoured AK-47, seven AK-47, one Insas-LMG, one Insas, a bullet-proof jacket, a GPS, one binoculars, a monopack and several magazines of AK-47, Insas and Insas-LMG of CRPF men and fled to the dense forests, he said.
The official ruled out any intelligence lapse in view of the incident and said routine area domination operations were intensified in the region from past several weeks and were not based on any specific inputs. Meanwhile, security has been tightened across the Naxal-hit Bastar region as the Maoists are observing Peoples’ Liberation Guerrilla Army week from today in the honour of their slain leaders.
http://www.firstpost.com/india/local-cadres-camping-bastar-planned-naxal-ambush-police-1830873.html

Attapadi Tribals Fuel for Naxal Fire
PALAKKAD (KERALA): At a time when the administration claims that measures have been taken to curb burgeoning Maoist activities in Attappadi are in full swing, Adivasi people have come up alleging that armed Maoists have been visiting their settlements often without any fear of security personnel. The tribals also said that disclosing this to the police has always ended up in the police torturing them and due to this they are reluctant to say anything to police.
Going by the words of one of the tribal promoters in Attappadi, over a 100 Maoists are there in the group and they often visit adivasi settlements in groups of six or eight. It was also learnt that a group of Maoists had taken classes for Adivasis at Edavani two weeks ago demanding them to join them to fight against the government. “In the meeting, they told us that the government has not provided any basic amenities or addressed our demands despite ruling for years,” said one of the tribals.
“In the meeting we were also directed not to inform this to anyone. We are between the devil and deep blue sea. On one side, the Maoists and on the other, the torture of police,” he added. The Adivasis said that ladies were also among the Maoists in the age group of 20 to 25 and the age of males varies from 20 to 35 years except the one member who guides them. He is over 45. “These people stay at Edavani, Anavayi, Kenattukara and Thadikundu and won’t come down to Thazhethudukki. They don’t stay in one place all the time, but keep on shifting base,” said another tribal from Attappadi.
http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2014/12/02/Attapadi-Tribals-Fuel-for-Naxal-Fire/article2550214.ece

Cop suspended after nabbed Maoist escapes from police custody
A head constable of the Gadchiroli police has been placed under suspension for dereliction of duty after a middle-aged Maoist who was nabbed by the police escaped last night, it was officially announced here today. One Ranjit alias Chandrika Jethuram Raut (45) from Fulbodi Gatta in Dhanora taluka of the district was nabbed by the police, a release issued by the Gadchiroli police said. During interrogation, he had revealed that he was convicted by a local court for Maoist offences and was absconding for ten years, after he was released on parole. As the police was interrogating him about his past, he asked for meals. Taking advantage of the darkness, he ran away from police custody.
http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/cop-suspended-after-nabbed-maoist-escapes-from-police-custody-114120201151_1.html

Security Beefed up Ahead of PGA Week in Koraput
KORAPUT: Red alert has been sounded in all Maoist infested areas of the district ahead of People’s Guerrilla Army (PGA) Week to be observed by the Maoists from Tuesday. According to sources, the Koraput-Srikakulam Maoists’ Divisional Committee has put up posters and banners across Koraput district asking the people to observe PGA Week from Tuesday. The posters, which were found in Sunki, Narayanpatna, Bandhugam, Ramgiri, Boipariguda, Lamtaput, Nandapur and Pottangi, also called upon the tribal youths to join the Maoists. Security has been beefed up in Maoist hotbeds in the district while para-military forces have launched combing operation in the sensitive pockets.
The outfit has demanded tribals’ rights over land, water and jungle, stop on Operation Green Hunt by the armed forces and withdrawal of para-military forces from the tribal areas. As a security measure, vehicles passing through the tribal areas are also checked and armed forces have been posted in bordering pockets. Police said the intelligence agencies are in constant touch with their Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh counterparts. Earlier, intelligence agencies had alerted about possible attacks during the PGA Week in the tribal areas. Inspector General (South-West range) Yashwant Jethwa reviewed the security arrangements with the SPs and commandants of para-military forces camping in the tribal region.
http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2014/12/02/Security-Beefed-up-Ahead-of-PGA-Week-in-Koraput/article2551073.ece

Jharkhand: Second phase polling underway amid tight security
RANCHI: Jharkhand on Monday sealed its borders with West Bengal, Odisha and Chhattisgarh to prevent cross-border movement of Maoists a day ahead of the second phase of polling on Tuesday. At least 45,000 security personnel have been deployed in the 20 assembly constituencies in the Kolhan and South Chhotangapur divisions spread over seven districts, East and West Singbhum, Sereikela Kharsawan, Ranchi, Gumla, Simdega and Khunti.
With Maoists having given a call for poll boycott, four choppers will conduct air surveillance in the sensitive areas. The choppers also ferried over 150 polling personnel in 17 far-flung Maoist-dominated areas on the eve of elections on Monday. As many as 260 companies of central paramilitary forces (CPMF) apart from the district police and Jharkhand Armed Police (JAP) have been deployed in the districts to sanitize the sensitive areas and guard the polling booths.
Maoists recently burnt a couple of election vehicles, one a Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) van and another that belonged to a Congress candidate. On Monday, CRPF jawans and the state police also marched in Chaibasa Sadar market, Gua, Manoharpur and Saranda areas to instill confidence among voters
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/specials/2014-assembly-elections/jharkhand-news/Jharkhand-on-Red-alert-seals-borders-45k-troops-keep-vigil/articleshow/45341995.cms

High alert sounded along Odisha border
A day after Maoists massacred 14 CRPF troopers in Chhattisgarh, police Tuesday sounded a high alert along the Odisha border that touches Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh. The Maoists are celebrating the 14th anniversary of their military wing, the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA), in the Andhra-Odisha border area from Tuesday. The PLGA week will end on December 9. “We have ordered a high alert along the border in Nuapada, Nabarangpur, Malkangiri and Koraput districts (of Odisha),” a police officer told IANS.
http://odishasuntimes.com/101771/high-alert-sounded-along-odisha-border/