Tips from Greyhound boss

Kolkata, March 12: The head of the Greyhound, a force set up to combat Maoists in Andhra Pradesh, today visited Bhavani Bhavan and interacted with police and CID officers, telling them how the special unit had achieved success in its fight against the rebels.

Anjani Kumar, the inspector-general of the Greyhound, also went through the information provided by arrested Maoist leader Venkateshwar Rao alias Telugu Deepak during interrogation.

Although he did not interrogate Deepak, Kumar spoke to the officers who have grilled the rebel leader.

Deepak had recently been arrested from a crowded bus stand in Behala’s Sarsuna.

Kumar gave “important tips” to senior CID officers and policemen from the three Maoist-infested districts of West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia during the interactive session.

“We hope the session will prove effective for the officers who participate in ground-level operations to flush out the Maoists. Kumar gave the officers important tips,” a CID officer said.

Sources said Kumar presented a detailed description of the Greyhound’s anti-Maoist operations in Andhra in 2000-01. He also showed video clippings of some Maoist camps while demonstrating the nature of the rebels’ hideouts.

The officer also showed photographs of Greyhound camps while explaining how the force protected them from surprise attacks by Maoists.

He suggested that it was crucial to set up bunkers atop camps in Maoist-infested areas because firing at attackers from a certain height always provided additional advantage.

CID officials said Kumar did not comment on whether the absence of bunkers at the Shilda Eastern Frontier Rifles camp, where Maoists killed 24 policemen last month, was a major lapse on the part of the administration.

“He told us that it would not be possible for him to make any observation without visiting the site,” the CID officer said.


The Telegraph