Raipur: Maoists have turned Leftwing extremism-hit Bastar in Chhattisgarh a manufacturing hub of ‘arrow bombs’, an improvised explosive device (IED) developed by the ultras, primarily, to disorient security forces during counterinsurgency operations.
This was indicated from the seizure of a huge cache of ‘arrow bombs’ from a Maoist arrested in Dantewada district under south Bastar on Sunday.
A joint search party comprising personnel of district reserve group (DRG), Bastar Fighters, a counterinsurgency force of Chhattisgarh police, and CRPF arrested a suspected Maoist, identified as Hemla Nanga (41), in a forest near Nohada under Aranpur police station during a combing operation in the area, deputy superintendent (DSP), Bastar Fighters, Govind Dewan said.
Eighty arrow bombs, one gelatine road, two detonators, and other Naxal materials were recovered from him, the police officer said.
In fact, the seizure of such a large number of arrow bombs has surprised the security forces.
Police suspected that the arrested Maoist might be carrying the consignment of arrow bombs from a local bomb making unit of ultras to deliver them to senior Maoist leaders in Bastar.
“Interrogation of the arrested Naxal may bring to light the arms supply chain of Maoists and their bomb making units”, a senior police officer said, unwilling to be quoted.
Arrow bombs are a version of IEDs developed by Maoists almost a decade ago. An explosive device is fixed at the tip of an arrow to develop the arrow bomb, which explodes after hitting a hard surface.
“The arrow bombs were developed around a decade ago by Maoists to disorient security forces during counterinsurgency operations. They hardly cause any lethal injury. There were no reports of fatality among the security forces due to the arrow bombs during counterinsurgency operations”, Bastar range inspector general of police Sunderraj P told this newspaper.
According to him, arrow bombs are locally fabricated explosive devices and do not need any sophisticated technology to manufacture.
Sources said that Maoists’ explosives and weapons research wing have been trying to upgrade the arrow bombs to make them lethal.
The arrow bombs can be hurled from a distance of at best 15 meters. Maoists shoot the arrow bombs from the bows to target the position of security forces during counterinsurgency operations to disorient them and make them walk into their ambush, sources said.
“The high decibel sound created by the arrow bombs disorient the security forces provoking them to move out of their positions and walk into Maoist trap”, sources said.
