Two days after the worst-ever Maoist attack that left 76 security personnel dead, government on Thursday appointed an inquiry officer who will go into the circumstances leading to the ambush by Naxalites in Dantewada district of Chattisgarh.
Former Director General of BSF E N Rammohan has been asked to conduct the inquiry and submit a report within 15 days to establish the circumstances preceding and the sequence of events leading to the incident of April 6, 2010.
According to an order issued by the Union Home Ministry, 69-year-old Rammohan, a 1965-batch IPS officer, will reconstruct as far as possible the actual events that took place on that day from 0500 hours to 1200 hours and until the first rescue party reached the spot.
He will also examine the call detail records of the mobile telephones used by the deceased and injured personnel of the CRPF during the encounter and gather evidence from family members and others that would throw light on the actual events that took place during the ambush.
He will analyse and establish the decision or command structure or hierarchy and the specific levels, which took relevant decisions concerning the operation.
The inquiry officer will also examine the quality of the training imparted to the relevant Companies of CRPF and the details of standard operating procedures.
He will examine the response of the state police and the CRPF both during the ambush and the post-ambush relief and rescue operations besides suggesting measures to mitigate the lapses, if any, so that such incidents do not recur.
The announcement of the appointment of the inquiry officer comes soon after Union Home Minister P Chidambaram acknowledged that "something went wrong" during the Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh.
"We have taken a decision to institute an inquiry into what went wrong," Chidambaram told reporters, replying to a volley of questions on Tuesday's attack in the jungles of Dantewada district.
Chidambaram described as incorrect reports about pressure bombs being used in the attack and also that the state police did not know about the CRPF operation for area domination.
He said 76 security personnel, including a driver of a mine-protected vehicle and a head constable of the state police, were killed in the landmine blast.
Asked about the source of weapons used by the ultras, Chidambaram said the extremists had taken away all arms of the CRPF personnel after they were killed in the attack.
"They buy arms from across the border. There are arms bazaars across the border. They bring them clandestinely into the country," he said, citing India's open and porous borders with Nepal, Myanmar and Bangladesh.
"Where do the Northeast insurgents get their arms from? Arms are looted from security forces, procured from across the border, country-made weapons are acquired".
To questions on the sources of funds, he said they loot banks and extort money from mining companies in the areas where they operate.
Asked about the use of airpower, Chidambaram refused to elaborate on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's comments that Government had not taken any decision to use airpower to quell extremist violence.
"My view is that if necessary, we can revisit it. We have to reflect on it," he said, adding, "If there is a policy revision, you will be informed."
Asked whether the shortage of mine-protected vehicles (MPVs) would affect the anti-naxal operations, the minister said: "That is a decision the operational commanders have to take. In some places, they may review (the operations), in others they may go ahead and intensify."
"We will provide paramilitary forces to the state governments to assist them to carry out anti-Naxal operations, regain control so that they can restore the developmental process. So, therefore, whether the operations will continue or intensify, these decisions have to be taken by the state government and the operational commanders," he said.
Chidambaram said a large number of MPVs have been ordered by the paramilitary forces, including 280 by the CRPF.
This was due to the "extremely limited capacity" of the Indian public and private sectors to produce them. He said an MPV was blown up in the Tuesday's landmine explosion by the Naxals, as it was "designed to take a blast of 15-20 kg. But if you have a larger charge, then it will be damaged." The driver of this MPV was killed.
