Naxals change tactics, attack lone cops

Officials from the Anti-Naxals Operation have learnt that naxals have changed their attacking tactics and are now functioning in Small Action Teams (SAT). Unlike earlier, when naxals used to launch attacks in large numbers, SAT functions in small groups and kill policemen, civilians and informers found in isolation. The death of 31-year-old police constable Bandu Vachami last month is the third such killing done by SAT in Gadchiroli.

On May 10 this year, Vachami, a tribal who hailed from Gadchiroli itself, had left his Kothi outpost to visit a village on the Chhattisgarh border, reportedly to attend a marriage, and later disappeared. A couple of days later, Vachami's body was recovered near Arewada village in Bhamragadh tehsil of Gadchiroli. The police had recovered a note from near Vachami's body that confirmed that the murder was the handiwork of naxalites. The note stated that Vachami was into gathering intelligence and was building a network, and hence he was killed.

"Naxals are now not in a position to carry out big attacks. They are not engaging the police and are running away due to a shortage of ammunitions. They have formed a new strategy, wherein Small Action Teams comprising four to five naxal members roam in civvies, arrive at a police post with small weapons like pistols, spot a singular policeman, attack him, snatch his weapon and flee," said superintendent of police, Gadchiroli, Sandip Patil.

He added that Vachami's killing is the third such incident this year wherein a policeman found in isolation has been killed. "We have constituted counter action teams but our tactics to counter naxals can't be revealed. This year, we have activated our post parties and more than 50% of the encounters that took place this year were done by police station parties, while earlier we were dependent on C60 for encounters," Patil said.

Police sources also said that Vachami, on an earlier occasion too, had left the post alone and was warned by his superiors not to do so in the future. "Interestingly, all the three policemen killed this year by the naxals were addicted to liquor and gutkha, and often used to leave their posts to fulfill their addictions. It appears that naxals were keeping a watch on their movements and struck when they were alone. Earlier, they used to strike in a large group if they encountered a police party, but now SATs do not engage directly with police parties. They go into hiding if the policemen are in large numbers," said an officer associated with ANO.

The police sources said that the adoption of this new strategy is a result of the severe blows that the naxals have suffered in recent times from the police. "From 2013 till 2015, we have killed 41 and arrested 45 naxals. In the same period, 140 naxals surrendered and 19 policemen were killed in naxal attacks. This year, six naxals have been killed," the officer said.

Another new modus-operandi used by the naxals in recent times came to light when an IED was found near the Kodgul post in Gadchiroli. "We found a container that was kept as an ambush attack meant for police parties.

Our policemen defused the said IED and brought the container to the head office. There, we opened the lid of the container and found a pressure cooker inside. After a few minutes, the pressure cooker exploded, which means another IED was concealed in the cooker. Fortunately, four policeman only sustained minor injuries in the explosion," Patil said.