Intelligence Bureau puzzled with rising number of Maoists surrenders
Courtesy: Mail Today
Intelligence Bureau puzzled with rising number of Maoists surrenders
Abhishek Bhalla New Delhi, Saturday, January 17, 2015
The Centre had lauded the increase in the number of surrenders by Maoists in Chattisgarh and termed it a major achievement but recent intelligence reports have revealed that several of them were not genuine.
Sources said the Intelligence Bureau (IB) is unhappy with the manner in which the surrenders are taking place and has discussed the same with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the force entrusted with the mandate of combating Maoist insurgency. The matter has also been taken up with the state authorities.
Sources said the IB has found that several incidents of surrenders were fake. "In many cases, it has been noticed that those who surrendered were either not Maoists or were sympathisers a long time ago," said an official.
Officials said the Maoists have also started questioning the authenticity of these surrenders. It is believed that getting them (Maoists) to surrender hurts them more than any anti-Maoist operation and arrest, as it demoralises the top leadership and the cadres. "We need to be careful about this. If these are not real surrenders, it can backfire," the official added.
As the BJP-led NDA government took charge at Centre, it pressed states to ensure that rebels give in. The Chhattisgarh police was quick to act, ensuring mass surrenders in the last six months in the Bastar region considered a Maoist fortress. By the end of November, 327 Maoists had surrendered in Bastar alone. The number stood at a mere 75 a few months back in August. In 2013, a total of 283 rebels had reportedly surrendered in the entire state. The sudden spike of surrenders in the last leg of 2014 has also made the agency suspicious
Peculiarity
Another peculiarity was that almost all these surrenders were without turning in a weapon. Officials said weapons attract a higher amount of compensation given to such rebels and almost all of them carry a weapon during surrender.
"This is an indicator that those surrendering are not real Maoists," an official said.
Besides, there is also a difference of opinion on the surrender policy.
There is a view that only those who are active members of the armed movement should be eligible for surrendering and getting the benefits by the Centre and the state government.
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