Bijapur (Chhattisgarh):CPI (Maoist) South Bastar Division Committee secretary Ganga, in a press release, has accused the CRPF of launching airstrikes with drones and helicopters on villages at the instructions of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. On the other hand, the IG of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) denied any aerial bombardment by security forces in Bastar division.
The Maoist leader blamed the CRPF's Commando Battalion For Resolute Action (CoBRA) for the alleged airstrikes. On Wednesday, an encounter had taken place between ultras and security forces in the jungles of South Bastar division in Chhattisgarh amid allegations of aerial strikes. "The rebels were on the backfoot due to anti-Naxal operations. That's why they were weaving such stories," a CRPF official said.
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The Maoist leader alleged that the joint forces of Chhattisgarh and Telangana were using helicopters and drones to bomb the area for the past one month. On April 15 last year also, Pamer area in south Bastar division was bombarded, they alleged.
"The CoBRA troopers were carrying out sustained operations in the region for the past one month. Besides security forces engaged in operations were keeping round the clock vigil in the Pamer region of Chhattisgarh. Several sorties of helicopters were the proof of their activities. The area was bombarded on several occasions," the Maoist leader said.
Whereas, refuting the allegation of aerial bombardment, the CRPF IG in a press release said that "Several reports have been making rounds in media and social media about aerial bombardment by security forces in Bastar division of Chhattisgarh. These reports were not true. These were all rumours. No such attacks were carried out in Bijapur-Sukma region of Chhattisgarh bordering Telangana."
