Naxals working on new explosives: Police

Naxals are researching different kinds of explosives to develop new ones and make them more lethal, while using sophisticated communication devices to evade eavesdropping by security forces, documents seized from the ultras have revealed.

Chief of the Special Task Force of Kolkata Police Rajiv Kumar said they have found some literature from the Maoists on researches being undertaken to make new explosives.

“Documents seized from Maoists show that they have a technical cell which is researching different kinds of explosives to make them more sophisticated and lethal,” he said.

However, how far the Maoists are successful is a matter of speculation, he said.

Noting that earlier Maoists used long wire to set off landmine wires which were cumbersome and could be easily located, Kumar said, “Naxals are exploring ways to set off mines through improvised manpack system activated by remote voice control.”

The danger posed by explosives activated through wireless devices was that they could be easily hidden making them more lethal, he said.

Asked whether such explosives were being used for the first time in the country, Kumar said, “that we cannot say. But so far, nothing of this sort has been seized particularly in West Bengal.”

Asked whether such explosives were used in Chhattishgarh and Jharkhand, Kumar said, “I haven't heard of of such things before.”

A huge cache of sophisticated communication devices and ammunition were recently seized by police during raids in different parts of Kolkata and adjoining districts including Hooghly, North and South 24 Parganas districts.

Among the recoveries were static wireless sets, high frequency and very high frequency sets and antennas.

Most of commuication devices recovered were from branded companies like Motorola, Kenwood and Magellon which suggested that the Naxals were reorganising their communication and network system, STF sources said.