Security lapse

The death of 15 policemen along with the civilian driver in an IED explosion triggered by Naxals in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra on Wednesday is a chilling reminder of our security men’s gross neglect in following the standard operating procedure (SOP) required to mobilise forces against the Maoists in these dangerous areas. The lapse of lowering the guard can — and it, indeed, did — prove fatal as the C-60 commandos of the Gadchiroli police literally walked into the booby trap laid for them on the highway. It is sad that policemen who were combing for Naxals who had a few hours earlier torched some vehicles of a contractor in the area did not apprehend danger when they got down to remove the felled trees blocking the path of their vehicle on the desolate road. The Maoists waiting in ambush were quick to blow up the landmine planted under the trees, claiming the lives of the intended targets. 

They had avenged their near-decimation of April 22 last year when 40 Naxalites were downed by the security agencies in twin encounters in the same area of the Gadchiroli jungle. It is a matter of concern that they have managed to regain strength and strike back in such a short time, even as the authorities seem to be caught off-guard. Tragically, our forces slip into complacency too soon. The cops paid a heavy price for ignoring the SOP of sending a patrol party in advance to sanitise the route.

As Maharashtra DGP Subodh Jaiswal said, the incident was not a result of intelligence failure. For, the Maoists have been active: they had been asking the people to ban the election process; and preceding Wednesday’s dastardly act was the IED blast on poll eve (April 10) in Gadchiroli in which a CRPF jawan was injured. There were enough indications for the agencies to have remained on alert against attacks at least till the end of the General Election. Let this strike be a wake-up call to the state to re-evaluate tactics, training and equipment of the forces fighting the formidable insurgents. The morale-dipping senseless killings must stop.