Maoist Tunnel Found in Chhattisgarh's Bastar | 03 Feb 2024

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

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 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.