Anti-Naxal ops: Govt approves deployment of 6 MI-17 choppers

"Letter of Intent was issued on September 6 (this year) for hiring of six MI-17 or equivalent helicopters on wet lease for anti-Naxal operations," Home Minister P Chidambaram told reporters here.

These additional air-combatants will be fully armoured and will be deployed to assist in the deployment, reinforcement and casualty evacuation of troops of the CRPF, ITBP, BSF and state police personnel involved in counter- Maoist operations.

At present, a total of nine helicopters are deployed for similar duties in the Naxal operations grid. These include four MI-17 choppers of the IAF in Chhattisgarh, two each at Raipur and Jagdalpur, while out of the five 'Dhruv' Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) of the BSF, three are placed at Raipur and two at Ranchi in Jharkhand.

Chidambaram also announced that the current strength of the CRPF is being enhanced from 71 battalions to 76. "A decision has been taken to deploy five newly raised CRPF battalions in Left Wing Extremism affected states after completion of their counter-insurgency operations training.

"With this, the number of battalions deployed for anti-Naxal operations would rise to 76," he said. Apart from the CRPF, the Border Security Force has deployed 10 battalions and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has deployed five battalions for similar tasks.

Every single battalion of these forces has about 1,000 personnel.

The home minister also said the central government has sanctioned Rs 100 crore "to the Left wing extremism affected states for the scheme of construction and strengthening of fortified police stations".

He also recounted some of the major successes of security forces in recent anti-Naxal operations.

"In 19 encounters in the month of September, two Naxals were killed and four security forces personnel sacrificed their lives. The CRPF, together with Jharkhand Police, have courageously engaged the Left wing extremists in the Saranda forest of Jharkhand," he said.

Chidambaram said four companies of the CRPF are also being deployed in Tirap and Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh for anti-insurgency operations.

In Naxal-affected states, the BSF operates the air wing for the support of security forces.
Helicopters are the most vital machines when it comes to assisting troops deployed in far-flung areas.