31 Maoists eliminated in Chhattisgarh: How did security forces achieve this?
Guwahati: Following the elimination of at least 31 Maoists by security forces in a deep forest along the Narayanpur-Dantewada border in Chhattisgarh on Friday, questions arose about how security forces were able to achieve such a significant success in one of the largest anti-Naxal operations.
This operation marks one of the biggest successes in the government's ongoing fight against Naxalism.
The encounter comes just a month after Union Home Minister Amit Shah reaffirmed the government's commitment to eradicating Naxalism from India by March 2026. Speaking at an event in New Delhi on August 25, Shah declared that Naxalism would be completely rooted out by this deadline.
After Friday's offensive, questions arose about how security forces managed to launch a major successful operation deep into Naxal-held territory in Chhattisgarh's largest anti-Naxal campaign.
Security experts believe that advanced technology, including high-end drones and specialized weapons, played a pivotal role in the successful operation. The use of drones, which can detect movement in dense jungles, was likely instrumental in locating the Maoist operatives.
"Eliminating Maoists who hide in remote forested areas, like Bastar, is a challenging task. They rarely venture out during the day, and nighttime tracking in the dense jungle necessitates advanced drone technology. Without this, it's nearly impossible to kill such a large number of cadres," said a security expert on condition of anonymity.
Notably, a three-year-old boy who became lost in a vast cornfield at night was successfully rescued using thermal imaging drone technology in Alto, Wisconsin, USA. The drone's infrared camera detected heat signatures, aiding in the search for the boy in the dense cornfield.
Additionally, CornerShot Weapon Systems (CSWS), which allow operators to shoot targets around corners without exposing themselves, may have been employed to neutralize the militants, the expert added. The CSWS's camera and laser-aiming device provide maximum safety and accuracy in challenging environments.
On the technological front, researchers at the Madras Institute of Technology, Anna University, Chennai, have developed an innovative autonomous landing system for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).
This system enables UAVs to accurately identify landing sites, even on uneven or sloped terrains, by processing multiple images to locate markers such as specific colored items.
Such cutting-edge technology is expected to significantly enhance the efficiency of drone operations in challenging terrains like those used by Maoist insurgents.