Fear of IEDs returns to Telangana’s border villages

Emergence of IEDs poses a fresh challenge to police on Telangana-Chhattisgarh border.

The use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), an old tactic of left wing extremists to thwart advancement of forces and ambush them, is emerging a fresh challenge for the police on the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border.

Two civilians have been killed while three more sustained grievous injuries in five separate incidents of IED explosions in the bordering districts of the two States in past three months. The police believe the IEDs were planted by operatives of the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoists) and were targeted at them.

“However, unsuspecting villagers moving in interior places of the forest and villages for livelihood are becoming victims of the Maoists’ tactics,” said an officer of State intelligence keeping track of Maoist movements. With the persistent combing operations of the commando forces of the two States coupled with efforts of local police, the movement of Maoists had been on the decline considerably in the past few years.

In past few months, Maoists suffered serious losses with their members and leaders getting killed in ‘exchanges of fire’ in Chattisgarh district. Usage of IEDs had been a tactic of LWE operatives (especially People’s War Group of Naxalites now known as Maoists after merging with Maoist Communist Centre of India) since the late ‘80s.

The first evidence of Maoists planning usage of IEDs was found during an exchange of fire in Nachinapalli village of Warangal district in the mid-1980s. After the firing, police stumbled upon a notebook in which it was explained that Maoists were learning techniques of laying landmines and using IEDs.

Using IEDs as a tactic, Maoists inflicted serious losses on security forces after the mid-1980s. With the decline of their movement, usage of IEDs also almost disappeared. With the security forces launching vigorous searches and combing operations, their operations further dwindled.

‘Confusing and irritating the enemy’ was the objective of IED usage by them. Stalling movement of the police (even temporarily) and ambushing them is one of the main goals of the tactic. The moment an IED explosion takes place, security forces would become cautious.