Amidst talks of violation of standard operation procedures (SOP), questions are being raised as to where it is possible to undertake anti-Maoist operations.
Security experts say otherwise. It is not at all possible to abide by the guidelines of force movement in the Maoist zones and at the same time be successful.
The questions arise in the wake of the killing of four Border Security Force (BSF) jawans in an ambush by Maoists in Koraput district on Tuesday.
“If one goes on checking the routes for landmines from Malkangiri to Koraput, it will require at least three days to cover a distance below 100 km,” said former Director General of Police of Odisha Gopal Chandra Nanda. “One needs to be careful. But accidents do take place in wars and battles,” he observed
Not only Nanda, many other security experts also opine that the BSF jawans have not done anything wrong. They were travelling on the National Highway-26. Can any force movement be possible if one goes on checking roadsIJ
“As such there is no SOP. There are certain guidelines. But if one tries to go by them, a jawan cannot move an inch,” a senior IPS officer engaged in anti-Maoist operations said.
“The ambush took place on a National Highway. Was it possible to check the entire NH before force movementIJ” the officer asked, claiming there was no violation of guidelines.
The Odisha police and BSF authorities have decided to further strengthen their intelligence network besides asking the personnel engaged in anti-Maoist operations to be “careful” about such attacks.
The decision was taken when BSF Director General Subhash Joshi visited Koraput to motivate the personnel engaged in anti-Maoist operations in Koraput and Malkangiri districts.
At least five BSF battalions have been deployed in different places of Koraput and Malkangiri districts, the two worst Maoist-affected areas of the State.