Maoists accused of planting explosives inside dead soldier

[1983-2011]

Maoist rebels planted an explosive device inside the body of a paramilitary policeman who was killed during clashes in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand, police say. Police say the device was found during an autopsy on Thursday - the Maoists denied planting any explosives. But police say they fear four other corpses could also be booby-trapped. They say that it is the first time that Maoists have placed explosives inside the body of a dead soldier. Maoist rebels are fighting for a Maoist state for tribal people and the rural poor in the north, east and centre of India. 'Metallic object' Twelve paramilitary police from the Indian Central Reserve Police Force were killed in Monday's clash and seven bodies were recovered immediately. But security forces were unable to recover five other bodies until later, and it was one of those that police say was discovered to have explosives inside it. They have warned that the other four bodies may also contain devices. When doctors were about to perform an autopsy they "found the stomach of a constable's body stitched", police chief Gauri Shankar Rath told the BBC. He said that an x-ray conducted later "revealed the presence of a metallic object with wires attached to it". The rebels have previously placed explosives near the bodies of killed police personnel so that they could inflict more damage during recovery operations, but this would be the first time they have surgically put such bombs inside dead bodies, the BBC's Salman Ravi says. However a Maoist spokesman told the BBC that explosives were only "wired around the perimeter of the dead bodies" and not inside them. At least nine soldiers and policemen were also injured in the battle in Latehar district on Monday. The Maoists control large areas of several Indian states in a "red corridor" stretching from the north-east to central India. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said that they are the country's "greatest internal security challenge"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-20968247

[Lurker]

Being a soldier of CRPF, BSF, ISF etc has got to be the worst job in India. These are folks who are regularly called to deal with Naxals, flood, elections and routinely get killed (by Naxalites) without even drawing so much as a sigh by most Indians. Retirement of Sachin tendulkar draws more outrage than a CRPF jawaan killed and his body inserted with explosives. Shame on us.

[Mariyam]

Maybe someone in the know can shed some light here: How do the Naxals, who are basically in a handful of the districts within the jungles/hill tracts of central India, get their hands on ieds and automatic weapons. Who supplies them? How do the arms reach those far flung districts without being impounded by the various arms of state security? How do they have the necessary finances, most of them, including their leadership are ( were) landless labourers?

[beetle]

Maybe someone in the know can shed some light here: How do the Naxals, who are basically in a handful of the districts within the jungles/hill tracts of central India, get their hands on ieds and automatic weapons. Our friendly neighbours ,China and Pakistan. Who supplies them? How do the arms reach those far flung districts without being impounded by the various arms of state security? Friendly neighbours Corrupt officials and politicians don't care as long as they get their cut. How do they have the necessary finances, most of them, including their leadership are ( were) landless labourers? Kidnapping for ransom,organized extortion.......

[Mariyam]

Beetle, I find some of that difficult to believe. Pakistan and China are 1000s of kms away. There isn't even any contiguous border a la Kashmir. That such deadly weapons seep through, not just in 1 and 2s but in wholesale for an entire terrorist outfit is a little too much. Is our intelligence so bad that we can't even intercept these? Kidnapping and extortion where? In those districts, you'd barely have a few residents with some money. Anyways, kidnappings financing an armed struggle is a stretch. There must be a mainstay sources of money. I agree that there must be some collusion with the corrupt netas and bureaucrats at some level, but why should the army ( or the CRPF) accept status quo, especially when their losses run high.

[Clarke]

Mostly hear-say, but people from the affected state(s) talked about Maoists having an amazing amount of penetration in society. For instance, they would recruit talent from engineering colleges quietly.

[beetle]

Extortion is the biggest source of income.Most industries in these region pay out .The smaller businesses wouldn't survive without paying out either the naxals or the police or both. Intelligence is weak and the will to take action is weaker. Unlike the "terrorists" Naxals do have a lot of local support from people who are voters hence politics is also involved.Dealing with naxals is a far more complex job than dealing with the outsider terrorists. Latest news says the explosives found inside the bodies were made in Pak.

[Lurker]

Maybe someone in the know can shed some light here: How do the Naxals, who are basically in a handful of the districts within the jungles/hill tracts of central India, get their hands on ieds and automatic weapons. Who supplies them? How do the arms reach those far flung districts without being impounded by the various arms of state security? How do they have the necessary finances, most of them, including their leadership are ( were) landless labourers?

The arms comes from China, Pakistan, sometimes Sri Lanka and often by looting Indian defense personnel including Cops. It is smuggled via Nepal and BD border. Both these borders are porous and Pakistan and China are able to push weapons. Once they are on Indian territory (Bihar and West Bengal), it is transported to different Naxal units. Although Naxalism in Bengal is different from Chattisgarh they have common philosphies and come together for matter of weapons etc. The money comes from looting and plundering rich landlords(which was the starting point of naxalism before it became anti-India), extortion specially around the Mining area and of course that old trade that has helped bad elements since Kingdom come - smuggling. One of the most appealing things about Naxalism is that its leaders are often very poor, very committed and lead a simple life. The overheads are simple and hence Naxals are able to do lot more in say 100 Rs than say Indian defence forces would be even in 10,000.

[The Outsider]

India-Nepal border is non existent for all practical purposes. You can get anything and everything across that border.

[Crookbond]

India-Nepal border is non existent for all practical purposes. You can get anything and everything across that border.

+1 I know people have driven some "serious stuff" through that border w/o any pains whatsoever. You have more security within some major Indian cities than Indo-Nepal border.

[AGHORI]

Poverty, lack of land reforms, caste discrimination,occupation of land and oppression and denial of access to justice push people closer to maoism.