Maoists raise battalion in Chhattisgarh, says police
Raipur, July 10 (UNI) Maoist guerrillas, who unleashed an attack killing at least 14 security personnel last night in the forest in Errabore area of Dantewada district, wore bullet proof jackets and used sophisticated weapons, raising suspicion that the rebels have formed an 'attack battalion' in Chhattisgarh, police said.
''It appears that the rebels have strengthened their military wing-- Peoples Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA)-- and raised its strength to a battalion'', top police officials engaged in anti-naxalite operations said.
Pointing out that the Naxalite attack on a police camp at Ranibodli on March 15 this year, in which 55 security personnel were killed, was of similar nature in which hundreds of rebels participated, they said there had been a talk in Bastar about rebels bringing in more 'military force' to the region.
During the Ranibodli attack, the Naxalites had even brought generators to light up the area to hurl grenades and petrol bombs inside the police camp. The attack was so pre-planned that the security forces were taken by surprise and could not counter the rebels.
''There have been some intelligence inputs about the possibility of PLGA planning to raise their strength to form attack battalion to carry out major operations'', the sources claimed.
Referring to last night's incident, police sources said a team of security personnel had rushed to a hill top at Upalmetta, about six kilometres from Gaganpalli, following a tip off about the presence of Naxalites at a camp. As the security personnel raided the camp, the rebels opened fire and fled into the nearby forests.
While the security personnel were sitting in the forest after demolishing the rebel camp and seizing materials from there, a large number of PLGA cadres in military uniform and wearing bullet proof jackets surrounded the spot and unleashed an attack with '' 2 inch mortars'', AK 47 assault rifles, self loading rifles and hurled crude bombs at the security personnel.
As a blazing gun battle followed, the Maoists had triggered the explosives, which they had tied earlier on tree tops, inflicting heavy casualties on the security forces.
Meanwhile, police sources told UNI in Jagdalpur that 115 security personnel, including 28 CRPF and three district police personnel, besides 84 special police officers --local youth recruited to assist the regular forces-- went for the raid at the rebel camp but only 71 of them returned this morning.
While 44 personnel were missing, sources confirmed that 14 of them were killed and many of them were injured in the Maoist attack. A massive search has been launched in the area to rescue the remaining security personnel.
A few days ago, the police has been successful in arresting two top Maoist leaders, including Nirmala alias Nirmala Akka, who is the Secretary of Maoist outfit Dandakaranya Krantikari Mahila Sangathan, and her husband Jaipal Reddy, from the state capital.
Earlier, another top Maoist, Gopanna, a member of the Dandakaranaya zonal committee, was arrested from the forest in Gariaband region in Raipur district.
UNI