The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has opened 20 new security camps in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected States in the past six months, according to a senior CRPF official.
Eight such camps have been operationalised in Chhattisgarh, four each in Jharkhand and Odisha, one each in Maharashtra and Bihar and two in Telengana.
CRPF is one of the largest central armed police force (CAPF) deployed in LWE areas to assist the State police in conducting operations against the Maoists.
After the April 3, 2021 incident where 22 security personnel were killed in a Maoist ambush at Tarrem in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma, Home Minister Amit Shah and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had said that more security camps would be established in the LWE affected areas at a rapid pace. As many as 14 of the 27 districts in Chhattisgarh are affected by LWE violence, one of the worst affected States.
The camps or forward operating bases help in area domination and security operations can be launched faster.
Before the security forces were ambushed in April 2021, CRPF had established 18 new security camps in Chhattisgarh’s South Bastar alone.
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) informed the Rajya Sabha earlier this year that the geographical spread of the LWE violence has reduced and only 46 districts reported violence in 2021 as compared to 96 districts in 2010.
