The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Naxals use crude rocket launchers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Apr 29, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Naxals use crude rocket launchers

By K. Srinivas Reddy

HYDERABAD, APRIL 28. The People's War (PW) unveiled a new weapon in its arsenal when it fired rockets at a police station and two camps of the Central Reserve Police Force and the AP Special Police in Guntur and Prakasam districts recently.

The use of a crude rocket launcher, though unsuccessfully, by the Maoist rebels could change the security scenario in Andhra Pradesh where the PW has been effectively employing the shoot-and-scoot tactics in its bid to wear out security forces. The PW cadres had used the rockets while attacking the Bandlamotu police station in Guntur district and the camps of the CRPF and the APSP in Dornala and Markapuram of Prakasam district. In all the three instances, projectiles missed their targets by 30 to 100 feet. There was also not much of an explosion since only `low-explosives' were used.

The only consolation for the police was that the ballistic experts who examined the remnants of the shells fired observed that the charge consisted of low-explosives, which did not do much damage. "The shells landed wide off the target and exploded. But not even a crater was formed," officers say. The projectiles were roughly 10 inches long, had one-inch diameter and were fitted with four fins. The fins, each of which were four inches long, are intended to provide stability to the projectile while in flight.

The projectile, sources say, was rigged with a low explosive (possibly a chlorate substance), that is impact sensitive. The shell, it is believed, was propelled from a tube, which at least has a diameter of 10 inches. The projectile movement could have been provided by detonating either gunpowder or cartridges. Now, the question being asked is how long would it take for the PW to perfect the art of making rocket launchers.

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