Chhattisgarh Maoist attack leaves security establishment in a tizzy

Talking to media persons following the daring Maoist attack on security personnel in the Tongpa-Jheerum area of Chhattisgarh's Jagadalpur District on Monday, R.K. Vij, Additional Director General (ADG), (Naxal Operations), said that full picture of the extent of the attack on security personnel is yet to be ascertained.

"Senior security personnel have already reached the spot where the Naxal attack occured. Only then, will we be able to tell you the exact number of casualties. Initial information, which is trickling in from our sources, suggests that three security personnel were dead, and their bodies have been recovered. Another three, who were injured, have been rushed to Tongpal," Vij said.

"The Maoist attack on a team of CRPF and State Reseve Police force took place when they were on regular duty and were inspecting the roads. The epicenter of the attack was barely five kilometres away from the Tongpa-Jheerum area," Vij added.

E.N. Ram Mohan Rao, former Director General of the Border Security Force (BSF), who is also an expert on Naxal operations, suggested that the government must delve deeper as to why Left-Wing Extremists (LWE) were fighting against the state, and called for urgent remedy.

"Tell me, why does a common person take up guns. It is because when he has been pushed too hard against the wall by the state machinery, that he starts acting against it. Hence, we must first understand the root cause behind which the Maoists are fighting against the state." Rao said.

On the ground, he squarely blamed the CRPF officers for lack of understanding and poor combat techniques for the tragedy.

Earlier, television reports said that the Maoist IED-cum-gunfire attack was launched on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) search and patrol party that left atleast twenty paramilitary personnel dead in the Jheerum area of Chhattisgarh's Jagadalpur District on Tuesday.