Security forces, villagers spar over use of psychological warfare in Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR:  Local tribal villagers have alleged that security forces carried out air strikes in their areas by deploying helicopters and drones along the border areas of strife-torn districts of Bijapur-Sukma, a couple of days ago.

With such an allegation being made for the fourth time during the last couple of years, observers are wondering if it is an indication of new psychological warfare deployed by the Central or state forces against the guerilla tactics of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) cadres. 

The key target for the- security forces remains the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) battalion of the Maoists in south Chhattisgarh. The residents of Morkometa, Kawargatta, Bhattiguda, Jabbagatta produced the remnants of the explosives left behind as ‘proof’ of the alleged airstrikes. 

The villagers claimed that some locals who had gone to collect minor forest produce had sustained injuries due to these ‘aerial strikes’. The first such ‘air strikes’ were reported in April 2021 which saw civil society groups from across the country expressing serious apprehensions and demanding factual information to be put out in the public domain. 

Bastar police usually do not issue any statement on such alleged ‘air strikes’ while professing they didn’t carry out such offensive operations. But for tactical reasons, a senior police officer in Bastar told this newspaper, that they neither lay claim nor deny such strikes. The CRPF in Chhattisgarh, too, cited ignorance about any recent ‘aerial strikes’. “We are not aware about it”, said H K Sahu, a CRPF spokesperson.