Sunday 17 / November / 2024
New Delhi: A total of 1,702 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) weighing nearly 6,000kg were recovered from 10 Naxal-affected states in 2015 in a record haul, prompting security agencies to tell their ground forces to be extra vigilant.
Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar and Maharashtra are among the 10 Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected states.
A report prepared by the Central security agencies stated that as many as 1,702 IEDs weighing about 5,908kg have been recovered from the LWE-affected states in 2015, in a sharp rise compared to the previous year, and the disturbing trend is continuing.
The report, accessed by PTI, said that during 2014, 523 IEDs were recovered and were half the weight of the bombs seized in 2015.
2015 also accounted for the recovery of the highest number of detonators --20,871 -- used to trigger these IEDs.
In 2014, the numbers were 6,643. A senior official working in the anti-Naxal operations domain said on Tuesday that in the first three-and-a-half months this year, there was again a spurt in IED related casualties and injuries.
"While nine personnel lost their lives, 13 have been injured and two had to undergo amputation during this time period. About 250 such improvised bombs have been recovered this year," he said.
With back-to-back incidents of security forces personnel and civilians being targeted by using IEDs in the affected states in the recent past, Central security agencies and the operations command of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have ordered a "strict observance" of operating procedures, usage of sniffer dogs and effective gathering of intelligence every time a patrol goes out or an operation is executed.
What has worried the security establishment is the fact that troops of Central forces like the CRPF, Border Security Force and those from state police units are increasingly facing casualties.
"Gunbattles are reducing between security forces and Naxals. It has been analysed that Maoist cadres are low on weapons and obviously no match with the security forces when it comes to firepower. Hence, IED attacks of the deadly variety are increasing," the official said.
"Maoists have elevated IED warfare on the security forces using a cocktail of command wire IEDs to victim operated IEDs to radio controlled ones.
They are capable of launching rocket attacks on camps of security forces, blowing mine proof vehicles apart and creating a minefield for targeting a foot patrol. So, wherever the forces are in conflict zones, they can be targeted," the report said.
