The Maoists conducted an IED attack in Jharkhand killing 10 personnel.
Why the Maoist activities in the Jharkhand are on the rise?
The special units local police force was formed late in the state which lead to the state becoming the Maoist zone.
The absence of roads in the interiors in the interior places
Minimal presence of the administration in the interiors in the Maoist area
Local support from the people
The state geographical (jungle) provides a perfect condition for Tactical Counter Offensive Campaigns (TCOCs)
What is Tactical Counter Offensive Campaigns (TCOCs)?
It is a campaign carried out by the CPI Maoist between February and June every year.
This period is chosen because with the onset of the monsoon in July.
During this period the over flowing rivers cannot be crossed.
The tall grass and shrubs everywhere reduce visibility.
The TCOC period this year has been characterised by increasing IED attacks.
Almost all major attacks by Maoists on security forces, including the 2010 Chintalnar massacre of 76 CRPF personnel, have taken place during the TCOC period.
What are the measures taken so far?
Security related expenditure (SRE) - Constituted by central government to provide financial support to the states affected by left wing extremisms (LWE).
Special infrastructure scheme (SIS) - To strengthen local police and intelligence.
Special central assistance - To build infrastructure such as roads in LWE districts.
Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) - Has been consistently enlarging its footprint by opening new camps deeper in the jungles of Jharkhand.
Bastariya Battalion - By CRPF to recruit the local people to gain the local intelligence about the Maoist.
Counter-terrorism National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Enforcement Directorate - Have been directed to track CPI (Maoist) cadres, leaders and sympathizers with the aim to choke their funding.
District Reserve Guard (DRG) - Have been constituted to include the local police in neutralizing the Maoists.
Quick facts
Maoist violence in the country has gone down by 77% since 2010.
The number of resultant deaths (security forces + civilians) has come down by 90 % from the all-time high of 1,005 in 2010 to 98 in 2022.
The number of districts declared to be Naxal-affected has reduced from over 200 in the early 2000s to just 90 now.
The presence of Naxals is said to be minimal to zero in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, Jharkhand, and Bihar, which were at one time their strongholds.
