Sukma attack fallout: CRPF suspends company commander

NEW DELHI: Almost a month after the ambush by Maoists on CRPF's road opening party in Sukma in Chhattisgarh claimed the lives of 25 personnel, the central paramilitary force suspended the company commander of the unit for “leadership failure“ and “not being able to think smartly to ensure safety of his men.

The force is doing a complete overhaul of its standing operating procedures (SOPs) in the naxal-infested belt, which includes monitoring of every operation by senior officers including DIG, IG, rotation of personnel officers regularly and more focused operations with the help of state police, dog squads, mine-protected vehicles and drones.

Officials said the assistant commandant of Delta Company of 74th battalion of CRPF ­ J N Vishwanath -has been placed under suspension after an inquiry conducted by the additional director general felt that he was the per son who was leading the 99-member contingent which came under heavy attack from around 400 Maoists on April 24.

Speaking to TOI, Director General of CRPF Rajeev R Bhatnagar said, “We felt that there was lack of leadership on his part. He could have used the resources in different manner in countering the Maoist attack.It was only one party which came under attack and could not respond. Things may have been not so bad if he had acted in a different manner.“

The CRPF DG also said that “We are reviewing our mistakes.“