IB takes stock of Bastar situation

Bhopal: Intelligence Bureau (IB) joint director Debataru Chhatterjee on Tuesday reviewed security situation in Chhattisgarh’s conflict zone of Bastar with the local district collectors and superintendents of police (SPs) in a video conferencing in the wake of April 24 Maoist ambush on a CRPF party in which 25 jawans were massacred.

Official sources said the IB officer had deliberations with district collectors and SPs in Bastar division, comprising seven districts, separately to gather reports on ground situation. The video conferencing ended at around 1 pm.

Official sources said the IB officer’s report would be placed at a high-level official meeting called by Union home minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi on May 8 to review the counterinsurgency strategy.

Earlier, security advisor to Union home ministry K. Vijay Kumar had visited Bastar twice to take stock of the situation in the aftermath of the April 24 Maoist ambush that left 25 CRPF jawans dead.

In another development, Naxals ambushed a joint search party comprising special task force, district reserved force and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) at Tamenaru in south Bastar district of Narayanpur. However, security forces repulsed the attack forcing the Maoists to retreat to the nearby jungle.

Medicines, Maoist literature and electronic gadgets were recovered at the encounter site by security forces.