2024-04-20 17:26:57
Raipur: Bastar Range IG P Sundarraj had an exclusive conversation with our associate newspaper Times of India on Wednesday. He said that due to hi-tech technology, communication, better strategy and increased offensive operations, security forces have achieved major successes in Kanker. IG P Sundarraj said the continuous attacks by security forces had shaken the confidence of the Maoists. They are finding it difficult to recruit cadre.
youth will not join them
The IG said that the youth will not join them. It is going to be a challenging task for the Maoists to recruit new cadres after losing senior and lower level cadres in the recent encounters. The effect of collective efforts on various fronts over a long period of time is that the Maoists have suffered a major setback. He said that the next few years are going to be decisive on the anti-Naxal front. Campaigns will be intensified.
78 Maoists killed in four months
He said that the morale of Maoists is falling due to continuous pressure from security forces, due to which 78 Maoists have been eliminated in the last four months. The IG said that the fight is not over yet and we cannot underestimate the intentions of the Maoists as they fight only through terror and IEDs.
Success achieved in Kanker due to better strategy
However, he cautioned that IED is an unbeatable and difficult weapon. Naxalites always use this to spread terror. He said that the success of Kanker operation is due to the establishment of base camps, development in the areas and better strategy. Special strike forces like DRG and Bastar Fighters have not only provided opportunities to the local youth and channelized their energy towards positivity, but have also strengthened the fighting abilities of the soldiers.
Naxalites could not understand
In the Kanker operation, the soldiers made such a strategic move which the Maoists could not see. He said that otherwise, they would have either fled or retaliated. The area where the encounter took place was considered a safe haven for Maoists. He never expected that the soldiers would enter his fort.
benefit of technology
The IG said that technology also helped, now soldiers stay in touch with each other in inaccessible areas. Earlier it was very difficult to contact each other.
The enthusiasm of the soldiers is high
Along with this, IG Sundarraj said that the morale of the security forces is high and they are full of confidence, as they are regularly trained in Jungle Warfare Colleges and other institutes in Kanker and outside the state. Apart from this, they also get a chance to interact with other forces from militancy affected states like Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Maharashtra about their experiences and challenges, which boosts their enthusiasm.
Maoists may retaliate
He said the security forces knew that the Maoists would try to retaliate after being defeated so badly. IG Sundarraj said that they may first try to harm soft targets like innocent villagers and public infrastructure, which we always try to protect. Their response could come on several fronts. They can blast IED. They will try to get public sympathy to boost the declining morale of their cadre.
Big loss to Naxalites in Bastar
On Wednesday he said that the Kanker encounter has caused a lot of damage to the Maoists of North Bastar division. He said this unit is responsible for illegal levy collection and logistics network. They have suffered a lot.