Naxals planning to attack "soft targets" outside core hold

RAIPUR: With heavy security deployment in hyper-sensitive areas of Bastar region ahead of polls, Naxalites are apparently trying to change their course of action and mobilising cadres to town areas to attack "soft targets" outside their core hold, intelligence sources said.

The Maoists are deploying small action teams in city areas of Bastar region to carry out operations, because of the security scenario inside forest pockets, according to Intelligence Bureau sources.

The cadres have also been told to maintain security of their senior leaders commanding them during operations.

They are reportedly setting up cadres in cities of Bastar region for disrupting the polling process, a senior police official said on condition of anonymity.

Intelligence inputs indicate that these groups are working with an objective of creating an atmosphere of fear, besides planning to abduct candidates of political parties and indulging in arson.

Inputs also suggest that the Reds have been threatening government employees, especially school teachers, not to take up poll duties.

However, no government employee has so far complained of getting threats, the official said.

Following the inputs, security personnel have been alerted to keep a hawk eye on the movement of people from remote areas to cities for taking part in political rallies in Bastar, the official said.

Eighteen Naxal-affected constituencies of eight districts- Bastar, Bijapur, Kondagaon, Sukma, Narayanpur, Dantewada, Kanker and Rajnandgaon will go to polls in the first phase of Chhattisgarh elections on November 11.

Notably, the police have received inputs that Naxals are planting IEDs near polling booths, main highways and arterial roads and mobilising cadres from adjoining Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra in a bid to disrupt the electoral process.

Taking a serious note of the Maoist threat, the Centre has sent additional 400 companies (40,000 personnel) of paramilitary forces to ensure peaceful polling.