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Crackdown in Sukma vital for police to combat Naxal menace

Last Updated 24 April 2015, 06:03 IST

Security forces need to make significant inroads into Sukma, considered the strongest military base of the outlawed movement in the country, to win the "war" against Maoists, experts and police officials feel.

The Sukma district in extreme south Bastar of Chhattisgarh lies on the tri-junction of three states- Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra - with the Maoists dominating the region through an extensive network of 'Janatana Sarkar' units coupled with dreaded guerrilla fighter battalions.

"The Naxals have inflicted maximum causalities on security forces in Sukma region only, including the killing of 76 security personnel in Tadmetla in 2010, which clearly shows the intensity of their dominance in the region," Professor Girishkant Pandey, Head, Department of Defence Studies at Government Science College here, told PTI.

"Unless and until security forces don't gain control over south Sukma forests, it would not be easy for them to win the war against Naxals in Bastar," he said.

The three insurgency-riddled areas -- Jharkhand-Bihar border, Abhujmad and Sukma region of Dandakaranya -- in Chhattisgarh have been consistently claimed by Maoists as their base points.

Though the CRPF and local police achieved success in weakening the rebels on Bihar-Jharkhand border, in the other two areas it appears they still need to make effective incursions, he said.

The quadrilateral patch of Sukma, from Dornapal to Kistaram and Bhejji to Jagargunda on Golappalli track (spread in area of 4000 sq km in South Bastar), serves as heaven for the Naxals as it not only helps them in movement across Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Maharashtra through Chhattisgarh, but also for guerrilla warfare training amid dense forests and inaccessible terrain, Pandey said.

The killing of seven Special Task Force men in Pidmel (Polampalli) early this month and 14 CRPF men in Kasalpada (Chintagufa) in December last year have once again raised questions over the police plan and action in this area which had earlier also witnessed number of Naxal ambushes, he said.

"Security forces have to break the influential Janatana Sarkar network of Maoists in the region and penetrate into their core areas with a new strategy," Pandey suggested.

According to police, around 8,000 security personnel, including Central Armed Forces, are deployed in Sukma district and with the support of administration, efforts are on to gradually move inside while winning the heart and confidence of the people.

"Rebels have built their base in south Sukma forests in past three decades and it will take time to reclaim the region fighting with them in their heartland. However, we are making serious efforts in this direction," a senior police official said on condition of anonymity.

"Nearly 8,000 security personnel are deployed in Sukma. At the same time, we are working to strengthen our intelligence network. Efforts are also being made to persuade the cadres to surrender and win confidence of the people to bring back normalcy and boost development in the region," the official said.

The Central Reserve Police Force, fighting the Left Wing Extremism in various parts of the country, also believes that to control Naxal activities in northern and central part of Bastar, it is crucial to flush them out of Sukma.

"Our aim is to set the entire Bastar region free from Naxal violence for which we have to penetrate into their core areas, specially which are geographically and strategically ideal for them. Sukma region is one of them," CRPF Commandant, IInd battalion, VVN Prasanna told PTI.

The battalion is stationed at Sukma, located around 450 kms from the state capital Raipur.
The region ensures movement of cadres from neighbouring states into north and central Bastar. Hence, to control Naxal activities in Bastar, taking control of Sukma is vital, Prasanna added.

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(Published 24 April 2015, 06:03 IST)

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