Maoist Tunnel Found in Chhattisgarh's Bastar

• 03 Feb 2024

Why in News?

• Recently, troops returning from an operation in Maoist-hit Bijapur discovered a 130 ft-long Viet Cong-style tunnel dug by the insurgents.

Key Points

• It's the first such discovery in Bastar since the insurgency began nearly two decades ago and adds a layer of complexity to counter-insurgency operations.
• District Reserve Guard jawans found the tunnel near Tadopot village on the banks of Indravati, around 330 km south of Raipur.
• The discovery of such a tunnel indicates that Maoists are changing tactics to tackle the intensification of security operations and aerial surveillance.

Left Wing Extremism in India

• Left-wing extremists, popularly known as Maoists worldwide and as Naxalites in India.
• The term Naxalism derives its name from the village Naxalbari of West Bengal. It originated as a rebellion against local landlords who bashed a peasant over a land dispute.
  • The rebellion was initiated in 1967, with an objective of rightful redistribution of the land to working peasants under the leadership of Kanu Sanyal and Jagan Santhal.
• The movement has spread across Eastern India in less developed areas of states such as Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
• It is considered that Naxals support Maoist political sentiments and ideology.
  • Maoism is a form of communism developed by Mao Tse Tung. It is a doctrine to capture State power through a combination of armed insurgency, mass mobilization and strategic alliances.