Karnataka   

UAV for counter- insurgency operations in Chhattisgarh

K. Srinivas Reddy

Massive exercise soon to expel rebels with IAF air support

HYDERABAD: Anti-extremist operations are expected to intensify in the strife-torn Bastar forests of Chhattisgarh, with the Centre keeping an Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) at the disposal of security forces in Raipur.

Official sources say personnel of the Indian Air Force (IAF) are being briefed by the Chhattisgarh police for taking up combing operations with the help of the inputs culled out by flying the UAV. In addition to the UAV, the Centre has also expressed its willingness to provide air support, essentially for "transport of security forces, evacuation and airdropping of food and medicines."

The decision to provide air support was taken after a high-level meeting of Chief Secretaries and DGPs of naxal-affected States in Delhi in August last.

The UAV is to be used by police forces in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Orissa.

Coinciding with the UAV being readied to use, A battalion of Mizoram Indian Reserve Police has also reached Raipur on Wednesday to assist the security forces. Already 12 battalions of Central Paramilitary Force, including a Naga battalion, are deployed in eight affected districts of the State. Coupled with technological inputs through the UAVs and air support from the IAF, a massive exercise to drive out the rebels is on the cards, sources say.

Maoist team for Nagaland

Meanwhile, employing a different strategy to take on the Naga forces, Maoists have begun efforts to mould public opinion in Nagaland demanding withdrawal of the Naga troops.

The Maoists' plan for sending a team to Nagaland was disclosed at a politburo meeting held recently.

Officials monitoring the Maoist movement do not rule out the possibility of the rebels approaching the Naga insurgent groups, as militant activity in the North-East region has always been supported by the Maoists who call it an "issue of nationalities."

The Maoist politburo was of the view that the "onslaught in the name of Salwa Judum" was unprecedented since 1972 and felt that the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) had successfully repulsed the Government offensive.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Group clash leads to violence in Mangalore
UAV for counter- insurgency operations in Chhattisgarh
Prodigy leaves Italian professors spellbound
Briefly

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu