C’garh: Maoists use CRPF, COBRA combat uniforms to mislead security forces during encounters: police

Raipur: Maoists use combat uniforms of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and COBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action), elite counterinsurgency wing of CRPF, to mislead security forces during encounters.

The seizure of combat uniforms of CRPF and COBRA at the encounter site in Pedia jungle under Gangaloor police station in Bijapur district under south Bastar in Chhattisgarh on Friday has suggested this.

The Friday’s encounter between the Maoists and security forces in Pedia forest led to killing of 12 Maoists including two women cadres and injuries to two other ultras and one local villager who was caught in the crossfire.

“This was the first time combat uniforms of CRPF and COBRA were recovered along with other Naxal materials including weapons at an encounter site in Bijapur district. This suggests that Maoists use them to mislead the security forces during the encounters”, Bijapur district superintendent of police Jitendra Kumar Yadav told this newspaper on Saturday.

According to him, the counterfeit combat uniforms of CRPF and COBRA are available in the open market.

Maoists may have procured them from the open market.

A counterinsurgency officer in Chhattisgarh police told this newspaper that “The seizure of combat uniforms of the Central paramilitary forces indicated that Maoists have changed their combat strategy to trap security forces in the ambush during encounters”.

Security forces had also noticed that the Maoists had changed their uniforms to plain clothes during the encounter to pose as villagers.

“A peculiar thing was noticed. Maoists after being surrounded by security forces were spotted changing their uniforms and wearing the plain clothes to pose as villagers and conceal their identities. Several Maoists in plain clothes were arrested during the search and cordon operation after the encounter”, Mr Yadav said.

The encounter that took place at nine different places in Pedia forest lasted nearly 12 hours.

The Maoists had laid ambushes thrice during the encounter to target the security forces. But, the forces broke the ambushes successfully and came out of them unscathed.

The 12 bodies of slain Naxals were identified on Saturday.

They carried a cumulative bounty of Rs 31 lakh.

The deceased included two platoon commanders and two area committee members.