The union home ministry has asked the Jharkhand government to maintain high level of alertness till end of December as both Indian Mujahideen (IM) and the CPI (Maoist) could carry out attacks and blasts during five phase assembly polls beginning November 25.

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Inputs from intelligence agencies indicate that remnant modules of IM could target politicians and public places to avenge successful operations by the security agencies that has caught several of its key men at the top and make their presence felt.

The CPI (Maoist) could also target politicians and security forces to show that they are not down and out in the area that is known as their stronghold.

"The Maoists have taken severe beating by the security forces in last one year and their movement has also suffered a blow due to rampant surrenders of their cadre, including from the middle level leadership. They are hard pressed to show their presence to keep maintaining their domination among tribal that is threatening to erode now. This calls for high level of alertness and preparedness on our part which we are maintaining," said a senior officer of the central reserve police force (CRPF).

To keep the Maoist threat at bay during elections, four Israeli Herons (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) are being pressed into operations in Jharkhand.

Sources said these Herons would especially keep an eye on movement of Maoists guerrillas on interstate borders with Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Bihar as Maoists are known to apply hit and run tactics during elections.

Besides, the CRPF will also make extensive use of Netra, smaller size UAVs, to keep check on Maoist movement in dense jungles where Herons are incapable of penetrating.

To aid existing 40,000 central armed police forces, Centre has rushed 14,000 additional CAPF jawans to Jharkhand.