Firecrackers burst on Diwali and incense sticks lit for puja have become the new weapon of Naxalites. Naxalites are using them to attack security forces camps in remote areas. Sources said that on September 25, the Naxalites had adopted a unique method of diverting the attention of the security forces by bursting firecrackers using incense sticks for rocket attack and firing around CRPF’s Pusuguppa camp in Kothagudem district of Telangana.
A senior officer said that on the evening of September 25, at around 6.30 pm, when it was getting dark, the soldiers deployed in the camp on the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border heard the sounds of explosions. He saw smoke coming out about 200 meters away from the base boundary. When CRPF soldiers took up position in the dense forest area, within a short time firing started from the Naxalites hiding on the other side.
Naxalites attacked with rocket or grenade launcher (BGL). The soldiers retaliated with INSAS and AK series assault rifles, while some bombs and grenades were also fired. The sounds and firing continued for about 45 minutes, after which the soldiers came to know that the Naxalites had retreated. Another official said there was some damage to the camp’s fences as rockets fell near them. However there were no casualties.
Another official said that upon investigation, it was found that Diwali firecrackers were hung on trees with the help of ropes and incense sticks were used to burn them. Even before this, there have been some incidents in which firecrackers were burst in this manner to divert the attention of the soldiers. Then the camps were fired upon. They were also attacked with rockets. However, no evidence of this ploy was found at that time.
Referring to the incident in Telangana, the officer said that the attack on Pusuguppa CRPF camp last month has exposed this new tactic of Naxalites. According to experts, Naxalites are using incense sticks as timers. They burn them near the firecrackers. By the time the firecrackers explode, they have taken up positions for firing near the camps.
Naxalites try to confuse the security forces by bursting firecrackers using incense sticks. They want to take out the security forces from the camps. Experts say that since the Naxalites are no longer in a position to fight face-to-face, they are carrying out proxy attacks. They are resorting to these techniques including the use of IEDs to attack the soldiers.
