Centre pushes CoBRA and STF to revenge Maoist killing

Rattled by the Maoists attack in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh, the Centre has asked the CRPF and state police to press in units of CoBRA (commando battalion for resolute action) and special task force (STF) to inflict casualties on the adversary, especially on the unit involved in the attack.

In addition, the Centre has already asked the national technical research organisation (NTRO) to press UAVs in the region to get possible leads of the Maoists involved in the attack through aerial imagery.

Late in the evening, after releasing a book 'The Prime Minister' by journalist Dr Anil Singh, home minister Sushilkumar Shinde, who turned up an hour late at the venue as he was "held back at the PMO", said, "We will ruthlessly stamp out the Maoist menace."

Security officials, on the basis of initial details, think that the Tuesday's attack was carried out by the PV Ramana Commander of Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) in conjunction with some Maoists units that had entered from the Odisha that borders Sukma district. Ramana also had masterminded the massacre of almost entire state Congress leadership on May 25 last year.

If the Maoists attack is not met with an immediate counter attack, it can lead to demoralisation of the security forces thus putting the Maoists in advantageous position to carry out successful boycott of the coming Lok Sabha elections, the Centre feels.