Naxals counter offensive campaign stretching: CRPF chief

The Tactical Counter Offensive Campaign (TCOC) undertaken by armed Maoist cadres against security forces is "stretching" over to more months as the cornered ultras are trying to get their plans together across states, the top commander for anti-Naxal operations in the country has said.
Chief of the largest security force conducting operations in Naxal hotbeds, CRPF Director General Pranay Sahay said it was necessary to "break the spine" of the Maoist network and for this it was essential to conduct good and result-oriented operations.
"The TCOC of the Naxalites is apparently stretching beyond its normal time period.
"This is because the forces are hitting them hard, have cornered them and they are not able to stitch their plans together," Sahay told PTI.

The TCOC, military term for the most violent operations time of Naxal cadres, is usually noticed in the summer months between February to June and security forces are on their maximum vigil during this period as they anticipate audacious attacks on them by the Maoists.
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) top boss said talking to Naxals at this time would be an "outlandish" proposition as they are under increased pressure by the security forces and hence they are attempting condemnable attacks like the recent ambush and killing of senior Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh.

"They (Naxals) are killing civilians brutally as they have been pushed and forced to leave their strongholds in various areas.

"We need to hit them first and then gain the leverage for talks.
"Our operations have been very result oriented," the CRPF chief said.
Sahay, who has undertaken tours to all Naxal-hit areas of the country where his men are deployed, said they have targeted the top Naxal leadership during their operational tasks and this endeavour will continue.
"We have also begun conducting small team operations which are tasked for getting specific results.
"The results have been good in terms of getting small squads of the Maoists and pushing senior cadres to the corner," he said.
The CRPF has deployed 85 battalions (about 85,000 personnel) for counter-Naxal operations in the country.