Close encounters: On faking anti-Naxal fight (The Hindu)

Mains Paper 3: Defense and Security
Prelims level : Not much
Mains level : Combating with Naxalism

Context:

• Justice V.K. Agarwal judicial enquiry commission that no evidence existed to support the claim that the 17 people who died in the “encounter” on the night of June 28-29, 2012, in three villages in Bijapur and Sukma districts were “Naxalites”.
• In the official narration, two teams led by a DIG marched into the forests to outflank subversives in a meeting only to be surprised by gunfire.
• 17 Naxalites lay dead, and six uniformed personnel hurt. But the commission found no evidence of a gunfight, and held that firing had been one-sided beginning to end.

Key highlights:

• The findings are a chilling and sordid catalogue of how truth can be subverted and buried by the very officers who are supposed to enforce the law.
• Though the commission puts it down to a disproportionate reaction from the anti-naxal formation, the findings make it clear that the entire operation was botched from the start by poor intelligence, inadequate training, lack of communication, and hasty reaction.
• Postmortem reports showed injuries on 10 of those killed were on their backs, not consistent with claims the firing had been in self-defence.
• Instead, the nature and location of the injuries suggested they were fired upon while fleeing, and in no position to pose a threat.
• There were bullet shots on some of the heads, evidently from close quarters.
• There were injuries on the upper torsos caused by the butt of guns or rifles, signs of physical assault.
• The cataloguing and managing of the evidence relating to the armaments such as guns and detonators allegedly carried by the “Naxalites” suffered from imprecise documentation.
• There were signs of manipulation in the timing of injury and post-mortem reports in at least one case.
• What is worse for the security forces is that the commission concluded that injuries sustained by the uniformed personnel were more likely caused through friendly fire.
• Some of the recommendations are unexceptional, given the frequency of such incidents.

Conclusion:

• However, is the recommendation that training be imparted “to improve mental fabric of security forces” with a view “to make them more balanced so that they act with equanimity and do not succumb to panic reaction even in a critical situation”.
• Ways must be found to initiate action against the officers involved in this unfortunate operation and its heinous cover up.

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Prelims Questions:

Q.1) With reference to the data for this year on water contamination tabled in Parliament, consider the following statements:
1. Iron is the most common contaminant of drinking water.
2. Rajasthan has the highest number of rural habitations affected by contamination overall.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: C
Mains Questions:
Q.1) Security forces must be trained to desist from panic responses while dealing with extremists. Elucidate the statement.