New Delhi: Diwali crackers and incense sticks are the new improvised tools used by Maoists to attack security forces' camps in remote areas in various Left-wing extremism-affected regions of the country, according to official sources. This unique modus operandi of using incense sticks to burst crackers and "divert the attention" of the camp troops to launch a swift rocket and gunfire attack was prominently noticed around the Pusuguppa camp of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in the Kothagudem district of Telangana on September 25, the sources told PTI.
A senior officer undertaking anti-Naxal operations said, that on that day around 6.30 pm, as darkness started descending, the troops at the camp along the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border were alerted by sounds of blasts and subsequent emanating smoke just about 200 m from the boundary of their base. As the CRPF personnel took positions thinking it to be an attack by Naxals in the thickly forested area, soon the air was filled by staccato of gunfire and blasts by improvised rockets or barrel grenade launchers (BGLs) from the hiding Maoist groups, the officer said.
The troops undertook retaliatory fire using their INSAS and AK series assault rifles even as a few bombs and grenades were launched. The sounds and firing continued for about 45 minutes after which it was ascertained by the troops that the Naxals retreated. There was some damage to the camp fence as improvised rockets crashed near them but there was no casualty, a second officer based in Delhi said. An inspection of the camp surroundings by the force personnel over the next two days led to the discovery of exploded Diwali crackers hanging on trees using ropes and burnt incense sticks that were used to blast them, the second officer said.
"There have earlier been a few incidents where such modus operandi was used to divert the attention of troops towards the blast sound and immediately attacking their camps with gunfire and crude rockets but these things were not conclusive as no evidence was found. "The last month's attack on the Pusuguppa CRPF camp has confirmed this new tact of Naxals as evidence was gathered by the troops and the bomb disposal teams," the first officer quoted above said.
The incense sticks, according to anti-LWE operations experts, are being used as "timers" by the Naxals as they fire these near the crackers and take secure positions near the security camps by the time the crackers explode, he said. The Maoists are trying to trick the troops through this modus operandi as they aim to confuse them with blasts and gunfire in the dark. They want to draw the troops out from the camps, the officer said.
Experts say as the Naxals are not in a position to undertake a face-to-face gun battle, they are relying on these "proxy" attack techniques including the usage of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) beneath or near the tracks to wreak life-taking attacks on the troops. "Earlier Naxals used to get explosives by pilfering them from the mining sector but now using Diwali grade crackers and crude rockets are easy to prepare without getting detected.
"This is a new modus operandi. However, it does not look to be too dangerous. The forces are vigilant against these traps," a senior CRPF officer said. Attacks using crackers and incense sticks have specifically been reported from remote locations where the security forces, especially the CRPF, are opening new camps called forward operating bases. The force has created close to 40 such bases in Chhattisgarh over the last 3-4 years and is preparing about four more by this financial year as the toughest anti-Naxal operations combat remains concentrated in the southern region of the state called Bastar, which borders Odisha and Telangana.
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