Anti-Naxal ops now based on real-time info on Naxals

The anti-Naxal operations are now based on real-time information provided by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) so that the "traps" planted by the extremists could be avoided, Home Ministry officials said.
According to officials, the UAV receiver station called as joint command and control centre, based at Jagadalpur in Chhattisgarh has been upgraded and it is now capable of providing information on movement of Naxals to security forces engaged in anti-Naxal operations.
The analysis centre for the pictures taken by UAVs was first set up in Delhi and later in Raipur which delayed passing on information to the security forces.
Since the the UAV receiver station has been upgraded now, it can pass on the information about movement of Naxals on real-time to those engaged in anti-Naxal operations and avoid "traps" planted by the Maoists, an official said.

The home ministry is also in the process of procuring advanced aerial surveillance equipment, including foliage penetration radar, to monitor the activities of Naxals.
Security forces often face difficulties in gathering intelligence through UAVs which could not penetrate upto ground level in forest area where the Maoists operate.

However, a foliage penetration radar could get ground movements of the Naxals as the machine can click pictures even through densely forested areas.
At a meeting held on May 8, after killing of 25 CRPF jawans were killed by Naxals in Chhattisgarh, Home Minister Rajnath Singh had said trackers in weapons and biometrics in smart guns are some of the new technology that the security forces fighting the Naxals may adopt soon to check use of looted arms by the guerrillas.

"We know that left wing extremists mostly use looted weapons. In order to prevent this, it would be advisable to have trackers in weapons, biometrics in smart gun triggers," he had said at the meeting attended by chief ministers of Naxal-affected states.
A tracker can locate a looted weapon wherever it is taken or used while biometrics can make a smart gun useless for anyone else except the authorised user.
Singh had said trackers should also be embedded in shoes, bullet-proof jackets besides others.
In addition, unique identification numbers are also expected to be used in gelatin and other explosive materials.