Facing an acute shortage of arms and ammunition, the Naxals are now expected to avoid direct conflict with the armed forces in the days to come. But perhaps what’s more dangerous is that the Maoists will intensify their low intensity conflict in areas under their control.
What in effect this means is that one can expect a spurt in kidnappings by Naxals in the days to come. Naxals have effectively used kidnappings as a potent weapon as has been seen in some recent cases of high-profile kidnapping like that of BJD MLA Jhina Hikaka and Sukma collector Alex Paul Menon.
But this time around the Naxals will focus more on key officials involved in infrastructure projects in areas under their control. States like Orissa, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh where the threat is more real and Naxals have a strong presence have already been sensitised about this.
“Naxals very clearly know that with a shortage of both armed cadres and ammunition they don’t strand a chance against the security forces. So there is concrete information that they will step on the Low Intensity Conflict now,’’ a top intelligence official said.
The top Naxal leadership has recently conveyed to their armed cadres to strongly oppose construction of roads and permanent buildings in their areas of domination. Roads give access to security forces into the hinterland while the permanent buildings can be used to house the paramilitary forces for armed operations against the Maoists.
Interestingly, the Naxals have even decided that schools in their areas will not be allowed to have a roof. A number of schools in Naxal-infested districts are now being used by security forces as families have stopped sending their children there for the fear of Naxals. But the Maoists have categorically instructed their units not to oppose any water and power related projects in the rural belt.
“See, the Naxals are very intelligent. They realised that people were gradually drifting away from there since there is an acute power and water crisis in hinterland. So now they have taken a conscious decision not to oppose such projects,’’ the official added.