Troops were warned of Maoist attack but had a job to do, says Chhattisgarh top cop

On the same road, exactly six kilometres from the site of the worst-ever Maoist attack of May 2013 when they wiped out the Chhattisgarh state Congress leadership, at 10:30am on Tuesday, the Maoists managed to score over the security forces, yet again. Emerging out of the bloody encounter in Sukma's Tahakwada village where the nation lost fifteen men in uniform as well as a civilian is a complex tale.

A senior police officer in Raipur has informed this correspondent that ample intelligence warnings were being provided to the police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), almost on a daily basis, since 'two large, heavily armed groups had assembled in that area'. It was learnt that Maoists had not only used local cadres for the attack but had also called a team from across the border in Odisha to execute the task. List of martyred policemen Chhattisgarh Police
1. Head Constable Nakul Dhruv
2. Cons R Gaikwad
3. Cons Ishu Kumar Pisda
4. Cons Aditya Kumar Sahu CRPF - 80 battalion

1. Ins. Subhash Chandra
2. Ins. TR Singh
3. ASI Manmohan Singh
4. HC Pradeep Kumar
5. HC Lakhinder
6. HC Faujlahak
7. Cons Manoj Barekh
8. Cons Neraj Kumar
9. Cons Naher Singh
10. Cons Kaushal Kishore
11. Cons Somnath Rathore

"We were widening the road in that hilly stretch between Tongpal in Sukma to Darbha of Bastar when input came that Maoists had torched three vehicles which were involved in the work. That is when this heavily armed 45-member team left Tongpal," said an officer. While nearing the spot, the Maoists had occupied positions on both sides and they began indiscriminately firing. "The company commander from CRPF sensed the Maoists presence and undertook evasive measures.

While he couldn't save himself, his early identification ensured that the Maoists could not attack the remainder of the forces who repulsed this attack and ensured that despite being heavily outnumbered and surprised, casualties did not rise," said Mukesh Gupta, Additional Director General (Intelligence), Chhattisgarh Police.

When asked, he confirmed that there were warnings provided. "Yes warnings were there. Troops were updated over the last few days about this buildup. This morning also they had discussed it. But they had a job to do," Gupta said. Warnings specific to the area were issued on March 5th and 6th when the Odisha component under Bhagat, a feared Maoist gunner earlier an aide of senior leader Gaganna, crossed over. Local Maoist commanders too were building up in strength, including Darbha Divisional Secretary Surender who had played a key role in the incident of last year.

In fact on March 7th, 9th and even 10th warnings were re-issued. "We had got the work on the road stopped there because the Maoists had begun camping too close," said a senior officer. "Our problem is that while this area has been of immense importance to Maoists for its forests as well as border of the neighbouring Odisha state, we've only recently started beefing up our presence. One camp was opened last year and one more recently. It is clear that the Maoists want to stop us," said a senior officer.