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Ranchi, Feb. 4: A senior CRPF officer, who spent the last three days meeting policemen posted in Maoist strongholds of Latehar, has promised to hold regular training sessions so that there was better coordination between paramilitary and state police forces who have together lost as many as 28 personnel to rebel attacks since December 2011.
Over the last three days, CRPF IG D.K. Pandey, who is in-charge of operations in Jharkhand, visited police stations, pickets and outposts in Sarju, Oreya, Kone, Chandwa, Balumath in Latehar and met others at the district headquarters of Palamau and Garhwa. “It is the need of the hour. I toured several areas and met our officers and jawans who had been victims of Maoist terror, advising them on standard operating procedures to be followed while conducting operations against the rebels,” Pandey said today.
He discussed several specifics with policemen, insisting for instance, that patrol parties must take a cross-country routes to reach forested areas instead of opting for main roads. Moreover, all information reaching police stations must be cross-checked with informers.
Pandey also took part in a strategy meeting today here at police headquarters where among those present were state DGP G.S. Rath and CRPF DIG Bhanu Pratap Singh, who is in-charge of Chaibasa and Palamau operational areas.
The meeting discussed ways to avoid casualties among security forces. The police top brass also noted the alarming build-up of Naxalites in the districts of Garhwa, Latehar and Palamau where they had planted landmines on village roads.
Since December 3, as many as 28 policemen have been killed in three landmine explosions triggered by Maoists in Latehar and Garhwa districts, in what has been a major setback for the security forces fighting the rebels.
The only success recorded by the security forces so far has been a major arms haul in Garhwa early this week. Four Maoist bunkers were also unearthed in the raid. Today, two can bombs were defused in Ghatshila sub-division, East Singhbhum. While a 5kg can bomb was found on a road at rebel-hit Matiabandhi in Chakulia, another weighing 10kg was recovered from a stretch at Mosaboni block.
Garhwa toll 14
Jharkhand Armed Police constable Sujit Yadav succumbed to his injuries sustained during the January 21 landmine blast at Bhandaria in Garhwa district. He died today at Ranchi’s Apollo hospital.
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