Government sets up multi-disciplinary group to choke funding sources of Naxals

Naxals have developed some lethal and crude ammunition like Rambo arrows, topped with gunpowder and improvised rocket bombs as part of their new armoury, says a new report.

New Delhi: Government has set up a multi-disciplinary group to initiate action to choke funding sources of Naxals. The group comprises officers from various central agencies and the state police departments, PTI quoted a home ministry official as saying.

It is headed by an additional secretary and has representatives from the Intelligence Bureau, Enforcement Directorate, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, NIA and the CBDT (Central Board of Direct Taxes) and the CBI, as also state intelligence departments and CID, the official added.

According to officials, the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) movement in the country is financed through a large network of dubious activities, which include illegal levy collected from private contractors including those involved in the execution of government works and schemes, mining contractors, transporters and owners of small and medium industries.

Similarly, funds are said to be garnered through collections from illegal stone crushing and distribution of Naxal ideology papers.

Naxals armoury reloaded with Rambo arrows, rocket bombs: Report

Meanwhile, Naxals have developed some lethal and crude ammunition like Rambo arrows, topped with gunpowder and improvised rocket bombs as part of their new armoury to be used on security forces, says a new report.

The report prepared by a joint security command on IED threats in LWE hit areas said the Maoists have devised a smart way of concealing crude bombs in animal excreta to deceive sniffer dogs of the security teams from detecting and alerting their masters.

"There were occasions in the first quarter of 2017, when sniffer dogs of security forces were killed or injured as pressure improvised explosive devices (IEDs) exploded while the canines were getting agitated because of the obnoxious smell (of the excreta) while trying to detect the hidden IEDs," the report accessed by PTI said.

The IEDs has emerged as the biggest killers over the past many years as they have maimed and killed hundreds of security forces personnel in various states. One of the newest technique witnessed in this domain, the report said, is the use of an innovative explosive material called 'Rambo arrow' by CPI (Maoist) cadres.

"The arrowhead carries low-grade gunpowder or firecracker powder which explodes after hitting the target. "The 'Rambo arrow' doesn't cause much damage but disorients the security personnel by generating intense heat and fog, thereby making it easy for the Maoists to inflict fatal battle injuries on the troops and helps them to loot their weapons," the analysis of the new IED trends said.

Naxals have also developed improvised mortars and rockets, the report says. Such weapons have been used to attack the forces' camps in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur, Bijapur and Kondagaon districts between May 2015 and February 2017.

While the rockets blasts emitting fatal injury inflicting iron rings, the incendiary variant burns tents and other items in the camp by using a combination of sulphuric acid and sugar chlorate.

(With PTI inputs)