RAIPUR: Troops returning from an operation in Maoist-hit Bijapur stumbled upon a 130ft-long Viet Cong-style tunnel dug by the insurgents, where at least 100 armed cadres can easily hide, stockpile arms and ammunition, and use it as a staging ground for ambushes. It’s the first such discovery in Bastar since the insurgency began nearly two decades ago and adds a layer of complexity to counter-insurgency operations.Dantewada SP Gaurav Rai told TOI police are looking for other such tunnels.
The tunnel was dug 10-12ft underground, Rai told TOI. Videos released by police show jawans having to stoop in certain sections, but it looks roomy enough for a squad to move in a single file, carrying weapons and other loads. The walls look to be made of packed earth and there are niches cut into it for sunlight and ventilation. It doesn’t look to be an old construction, said an officer.
District Reserve Guard jawans found the tunnel near Tadopot village on the banks of Indravati, around 330km south of Raipur. Local tribals, they are excellent trackers and always on the lookout for Maoist traps, like IEDs and ‘Punji pits’ – camouflaged spikes in holes in the ground that can impale a jawan.
The joint team of CRPF, DRG and Bastar Fighters had set out from a camp in Dantewada Wednesday morning to intercept Maoist commander Mallesh of Indravati Area Committee. When they arrived at the location given by intelligence, the forces found three camps but no Maoists.
The jawans destroyed the camps and were returning to base when the DRG men noticed that a small patch of the jungle floor looked different from the natural setting, said the SP. “They suspected something was hidden under that patch and began digging. They found a ‘chatai’ of mud and wood.” said Rai. It turned out to be a makeshift trapdoor – the entrance to the tunnel. Weapons cocked, the jawans entered the tunnel but found it empty.
The tunnel is strategically located – it’s almost equidistant (35km-40km) from Dantewada and Bijapur, and a mere 10km from Bhairamgarh police station. It gives Maoists easy passage near Indravati river, the SP said, adding, “Tactically, Indravati river is a geographical hurdle for security forces..”
The discovery of such a tunnel indicates that Maoists are changing tactics to tackle the intensification of security operations and aerial surveillance.
The tunnel was dug 10-12ft underground, Rai told TOI. Videos released by police show jawans having to stoop in certain sections, but it looks roomy enough for a squad to move in a single file, carrying weapons and other loads. The walls look to be made of packed earth and there are niches cut into it for sunlight and ventilation. It doesn’t look to be an old construction, said an officer.
District Reserve Guard jawans found the tunnel near Tadopot village on the banks of Indravati, around 330km south of Raipur. Local tribals, they are excellent trackers and always on the lookout for Maoist traps, like IEDs and ‘Punji pits’ – camouflaged spikes in holes in the ground that can impale a jawan.
The joint team of CRPF, DRG and Bastar Fighters had set out from a camp in Dantewada Wednesday morning to intercept Maoist commander Mallesh of Indravati Area Committee. When they arrived at the location given by intelligence, the forces found three camps but no Maoists.
The jawans destroyed the camps and were returning to base when the DRG men noticed that a small patch of the jungle floor looked different from the natural setting, said the SP. “They suspected something was hidden under that patch and began digging. They found a ‘chatai’ of mud and wood.” said Rai. It turned out to be a makeshift trapdoor – the entrance to the tunnel. Weapons cocked, the jawans entered the tunnel but found it empty.
The tunnel is strategically located – it’s almost equidistant (35km-40km) from Dantewada and Bijapur, and a mere 10km from Bhairamgarh police station. It gives Maoists easy passage near Indravati river, the SP said, adding, “Tactically, Indravati river is a geographical hurdle for security forces..”
The discovery of such a tunnel indicates that Maoists are changing tactics to tackle the intensification of security operations and aerial surveillance.
