How Chhattisgarh Maoists are avoiding drone surveillance

Raipur: Recovery of a special type of military clothing designed to camouflage one in a jungle at an encounter site in Sukma district under Bastar in Chhattisgarh by the security personnel has established that Maoists use snipers to target the counterinsurgency forces.

A pair of guerrilla sniper smock jackets was recovered at an encounter site in Sukma district recently taking the security forces by surprise, a senior police officer of Sukma said on Thursday.

“This was the first time the Maoists' camouflaged wears were found at the encounter site in Bastar. It has reinforced our belief that Maoists deploy snipers against security forces. Besides, they use sniper jackets to target the security forces as well as to avoid surveillance and strike by drones, the police officer added.

“The Maoists camouflage them behind trees to target the security forces at a distance. The recovery of the sniper jackets at the encounter site in Sukma district had established it”, Bastar range inspector general of police P Sunderraj told this newspaper on Thursday.

The snipe jackets also come handy for the Maoists to keep a track on the movement of security forces in the forests, besides saving themselves from Drone strike, a police officer said..

In another development, at least half-a-dozen tunnels, dug by Maoists in jungles in Sukam district to protect them from drone attack, were found at an encounter site in Sukma district recently.

“Maoists use the tunnels not only as a shield but also to target security forces. At one end of the tunnel, the Maoists create a booby trap for security forces”, Mr Sunderraj said.

The tunnels were also used by Maoists to avoid surveillance by drone, police said.

Even, Maoists use the tunnels as their hideout to launch surprise attacks on the security forces, the police officer said.