He kept tab on Reds, now needs help

Bhopal: A cyber security expert who had helped Intelligence agencies avert some major Naxal attacks by keeping tabs on people deemed ‘Maoists’ and their ‘urban networks’, has been dumped by the state agencies when he sought an appreciation letter from them to start a career in the field.

The 27-year-old had helped Intelligence agencies hack into the social media accounts of some so-called Maoist leaders, leading security forces to identify them and also nip in bud some major operations by the outlawed Maoists in insurgency-hit Bastar in Chhattisgarh.

He had helped agencies infiltrate into the social media accounts of some terrorist groups.

One of his major achievements in recent times was the tip-off he gave the police on the Maoists’ plan to target a top political leader of Chhattisgarh during his election campaign in the 2018 Assembly polls in Bastar by hacking allegedly into the WhatsApp accounts of some people, prompting the police to review his security in the nick of time and avert the attack. He had also helped Intelligence agencies keep track of an alleged Maoist leader given charge of building a base in the strategic tri-junction of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh (MMC) to pave the way for the creation of the proposed ‘red corridor’ from Bharamdeo in Kawardha district in Chhattisgarh to Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh, apparently forcing the insurgents to go slow on their project.

The youth from Chhattisgarh had received threat calls from insurgents after they learnt about him hacking their social media accounts by him.

According to him, he sought an appreciation letter from agencies which included Chhattisgarh police, the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), Intelligence Bureau (IB) and even the National Investigation Agency (NIA), to start a career in cyber security.

“They went back on their promise to issue me an appreciation letter.  The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) asked the Chhattisgarh government to look into the matter after I took issue to them. But nothing has happened,” he told this newspaper on Tuesday.

He had then moved the Chhattisgarh High Court in Bilaspur for help. The court observed that the agencies may consider his grievances if he approached them.