Scare after drone video shows ‘Naxals’ in Bastar

Bhopal: A video showing movement of a large number of Naxals in Chhattisgarh’s insurgency-hit Bastar, has gone viral in social media causing nervousness among the local population.

The video, purportedly taken by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or drone, showed movement of uniformed people in rows and circles in unidentified forested areas simultaneously.

However, it was not known if the UAV clips were old or of recent times. Chhattisgarh police was also tight-lipped on the matter, refusing to reveal details on the video. It was also not known if the uniformed people caught by the drone surveillance cameras were Maoists or security personnel.

In another development, Maoists on Monday refuted claims by CRPF that a counter-insurgency operation launched in south Bastar region of Bijapur, Sukma, on May 13 and 14 led to the killing of 20 rebels.

Jagdish Irpa, a divisional committee member of CPI(Maoist) who carries a bounty of Rs 8 lakh on his head, said that rebels had suffered no injury or casualty in the operation. But, one security personnel was killed and two others injured by the Maoists during the operation.

He, however, admitted that two rebel commanders, Ravi and Anil, were killed in the April 24 encounter between Maoists and CRPF personnel at Burkapal in Sukma district. Twenty five CRPF jawans were killed in the incident.