Raipur: The peace talk offer given by the Maoists thrice in a span of a week is viewed in the security establishment as a design by the ultras to buy time to deflect the pressure mounted on them by the counterinsurgency forces in Leftwing extremism-hit Bastar in Chhattisgarh, sources said.The Maoist leadership appeared to be panicked over fast erosion of their base in Bastar with security forces now taking the battle against them to their den, they call their core area, sources said. “The spectacular and unexpected success by the security forces in Abujhmad area, once considered an invincible fort of the ultras and safe haven of the top Maoists, in anti-Naxal operations in the region has particularly shattered the morale of the Maoist cadre, highly placed sources in state home department said on Monday. More than 100 Maoists including a dozen senior leaders were gunned down in four separate encounters in Abujhmad area in the last seven months. The ‘aggressive’ counterinsurgency strategy backed by deployment of drones in these encounters had literally reduced the Leftwing militants to sitting ducks in these encounters, sources said. “In all the four major encounters in Abujhmad, security forces ambushed Maoists camping in the remote and inaccessible areas in jungles, outsmarting the fabled intelligence network of Maoists in their core areas”, a senior police officer said. For the first time, it was seen that the foot soldiers deployed in the security of top Maoists were fleeing the spot shirking their responsibility, the police officer said. The establishment of forward operating bases (FOB) in the core areas of Maoists in south Bastar has particularly unnerved the Maoists, sources said. “Maoists are now fighting with their backs to the wall in their pockets of influence in Bastar. They are desperate to wriggle out of this situation. Hence, they are pleading for peace talks to buy time to regroup”, sources said. “As per the desire of the native population and intention of both state and Union governments, we executed a comprehensive action plan to bring an end to Naxal menace. The results are remarkable. Now, we are in a dominant position”, Bastar range inspector general of police P Sunderraj told this newspaper on Monday. Referring to the peace talk offered by the Maoists, he said, “Prima facie it appears to be a time buying tactic which they (Maoists) have done in the past also”.
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