Fortnight ago, intelligence agencies flagged threat letter by Naxals in Chhattisgarh

In their letter, the Maoists are learnt to have written that security forces were creating problems for locals, and also mentioned the March 25 visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to the state, when he attended the 84th CRPF Day in Jagdalpur.

Written by Mahender Singh Manral

New Delhi | Updated: April 27, 2023 07:24 AM IST

2 min read

Security personnel at the site after at least ten police personnel and a driver were killed in a blast carried out by Naxalites in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district, April 26. (PTI)

Listen to this article

Your browser does not support the audio element.

Late last month, Maoists in Chhattisgarh issued a letter threatening to attack security forces as retaliation for anti-Naxal operations, The Indian Express has learnt. Central intelligence agencies subsequently informed the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and local state police that Maoists were planning IEDs strikes/ambushes to target security forces in Dantewada, Sukma and Bijapur districts, it is learnt.

Sources told The Indian Express that in the last four to six months, security forces have made several attempts to nab Maoist leader Hidma, but in vain. “Inputs were shared that the Maoists were enquiring about the movement of security forces and were planning to target their machineries and vehicles. They were enquiring about police informers and threatening them,” a source said, citing the threat perception report.

Another source said: “The intelligence agencies also conveyed that senior Maoists leaders of the Central Committee and Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) were noticed recently preparing their strategy for the Tactical Counter Offensive Campaign (TCOC) 2023 and also conducting meetings in Bijapur district with the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) cadres. The Maoists, while imparting TCOC training to their cadres, had instructed them to conduct recce of SFs movement.”

Must Read | Chhattisgarh Maoist attack: 10 security personnel, driver killed in IED blast by Naxals in Dantewada

A senior official in the Ministry of Home Affairs said Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, in February, wrote to the Chief Secretaries of nine Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) affected states, including Chhattisgarh, on the current LWE scenario and also suggested a way forward. “The letter was shared with the state police,” an official said.

Mahender Singh Manral

Mahender Singh Manral is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. He is known for his impactful and breaking stories. He covers the Ministry of Home Affairs, Investigative Agencies, National Investigative Agency, Central Bureau of Investigation, Law Enforcement Agencies, Paramilitary Forces, and internal security. Prior to this, Manral had extensively reported on city-based crime stories along with that he also covered the anti-corruption branch of the Delhi government for a decade. He is known for his knack for News and a detailed understanding of stories. He also worked with Mail Today as a senior correspondent for eleven months. He has also worked with The Pioneer for two years where he was exclusively covering crime beat. During his initial days of the career he also worked with The Statesman newspaper in the national capital, where he was entrusted with beats like crime, education, and the Delhi Jal Board. A graduate in Mass Communication, Manral is always in search of stories that impact lives. ... Read More

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Tags:

Chhattisgarh Naxal attack Chhattisgarh Naxals