‘IB warned of attack, changes in strategy’

NEW DELHI: The Intelligence Bureau, in the first week of March, had sent an advisory to the security forces in Chattisgarh’s Sukma region, warning them of a possible attack on the road between Kistaram and Palodi where nine CRPF men were killed in a blast on Tuesday.

This input specifically mentioned battalion one of The People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) planning a major assault in south Sukma’s Tondamarka, Sakler region. PLGA is the armed wing of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist).

While agencies regularly dispatch inputs on Maoist movement and communication to concerned authorities, officials from the CRPF and ministry of home affairs believe Tuesday’s attack, besides being a retaliation to sustained counter insurgency operations in Jharkhand and Chattisgarh, was part of a new strategy of Maoists’ tactical counter offensive campaign or TCOC.

A senior paramilitary officer said under the TCOC, left-wing insurgents tend to carry out attacks between April and July every year. “One of the reasons for this is increased visibility in forest areas after the winters. However, in meetings convened by senior Maoist leaders, it has been decided that the TCOC will be carried out from January to June,” the officer said.

Officials also believe that over 150 armed cadres of PLGA were involved in a major gun battle with security forces the same morning and a small contingent of the Maoist group planted the 80-100kg improvised explosive device (IED) that claimed the lives of nine CRPF troopers.

“While the CRPF sent an advisory three weeks ago warning of an attack, the IB too communicated to the troops to be prepared for a Maoist ambush,” said a senior government official on the condition of anonymity.