Security forces deployed in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region have been alerted against violent attacks after inputs suggested that large groups of Maoists have started "regrouping" in the area to take advantage of the ongoing lockdown aimed at containing the spread of coronavirus, officials said on Tuesday.
A senior official looking after anti-Naxal operations in the state, worst-hit in terms of violent Maoist activities, said armed cadres of the ultras have been reported to be undertaking meetings in south Bastar districts of Jagdalpur, Dantewada and Sukma.
"The concern of Naxal attacks on security forces and others in south Chhattisgarh have increased after multiple inputs received by the agencies suggest that a large group has entered into the area from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal and even Nepal."
"While the CPI (Maoist) have called for unilateral ceasefire in Odisha, no such call has been made in the Chhattisgarh area," the official said.
Some booby traps have been recovered by security forces in Bijapur district of the Bastar region in the last few days and hence security forces like the CRPF and state police have been asked to be on alert against Naxal attacks, a second official posted in Chhattisgarh told PTI.
Inputs have been received that "takingadvantage of the lockdown period and less number of operations by security forces, Maoists have conducted intensive reconnaissance in the Rajpenta and Chimilipenta areas and have also planted improvised explosive devices (IEDs)" in these areas of Dantewada and Sukma districts respectively.
The first official said security forces have also been informed about some meetings being held by senior Naxal commanders asking locals to protest against the administration for fixing a minimum price for plucking of the 'Tendu leaves' from the forests.
On Monday night, the officer based in Chhattisgarh said, the Kerlapalarea committee of Maoists blasted an IED and damaged a culvert near Renga Para on Dornapal-Jagargunda road in Sukma district.
Some new Central Reserve Police Force camps, opened deep inside along the Abujhmaad forest area, have also been alerted against possible Naxal ambushes and attacks, the official said.
Armed Naxal cadres belonging to the Malangir area committee in Chhattisgarh had also damaged the Aranpur-Potali road at ten places and rendered it unsuitable for plying of vehicles, he said.
The forces as well as civilians use this road and keeping in mind these activities, the security forces units in this area have also been asked to remain vigilant especially after sunset, the official added.
The forces, the first official said, have been asked to undertake only "intelligence inputs based" operations in the next few days and strictly adhere to the standard operating procedures to minimise risks.
The tactical counter offensive campaign (TCOC), a period in summers when Maoists undertake mega operations to increase their base and hit security forces, has also likely begun in the Bastar area with the assembly of large number of cadres over the last few weeks, he said.
About 30 CRPF and CoBRA battalions (about 30,000 personnel) apart from armed police units of the state have been deployed for anti-Naxal operations in the Bastar area that shares border with multiple states.
A purported audio tape has been released in Telugu a few days back and a man who identifies himself as the secretary of the outfit's Malkangiri-Koraput-Visakha Divisional Committee (MKVDC) has said they will not attack any government official or security forces personnel if they are providing help to villagers and tribals in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.
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