Counter-insurgency may get air support

Raipur: In a complete overhaul of its counter-insurgency strategy, the Centre is reportedly studying the feasibility of providing air support to security forces battling Left-wing extremists on the ground.

According to a senior police officer here, Union home minister Rajnath Singh who was here on Tuesday to take stock of situation in the wake of Monday’s Maoist ambush, ordered the Intelligence Bureau to prepare an action plan in this regard and submit the report to him within 15 days.

If the plan gets Centre’s nod, then the copters would be used for dropping and evacuating the jawans in the conflict zones. Hitherto, copters are being used to send rations for jawans.