New Delhi, Jun 15 (PTI) The CRPF's decision to create forward operating bases (FOBs) in remote Maoist violence-affected areas is paying "dividends" as the paramilitary force has had two recent successes in Jharkhand and Bihar, where hardcore Naxals were apprehended and a huge cache of arms and ammunition was seized, officials said on Wednesday.

In the first operational success, the force got three Maoists to surrender before it in Bihar's Jamui district on June 13.

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The Maoists -- identified as Baleshwar Koda, Nageshwar Koda and Arjun Koda -- were active along the state's Bhimbandh tri-junction, a senior CRPF officer said.

They decided to shun their arms and gave away an INSAS and a self-loading rifle (SLR) to the Central Reserve Police Force's (CRPF) 215th battalion based in Jamui.

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Baleshwar Koda carried a reward of Rs 50,000 on information leading to his arrest and had a total of 72 police cases registered against him in Jamui and Lakhisarai districts.

Nageshwar Koda had a reward of Rs 1 lakh and Arjun Koda carried a bounty of Rs 25,000, as announced by the police, the officer said.

They surrendered and came forward to join the national mainstream after the CRPF created two FOBs in the region recently, launched a series of anti-Naxal operations and increased pressure on the Left Wing Extremists, the officer said.

The FOBs house a small but strong contingent of CRPF personnel who work to cut the supply chain of Maoists in remote and hardcore extremism-affected areas by not only undertaking quality operations but also by interacting with civilians, he added.

Since 2020, the force has created about two dozen FOBs in the LWE-affected areas of Bihar and Jharkhand and deployed about 26 battalions in the two neighbouring states, including four of the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) -- its special jungle combat unit.

In February, the CRPF launched an 18-day operation code-named "double bull" in Jharkhand's Latehar district that resulted in the recovery of 28 arms, 2,000 rounds of ammunition, 196 detonators and 16 improvised explosive devices (IEDs), while one Maoist was killed and 14 were apprehended, another officer said.

The special operation conducted from February 8 to February 25 was "effectively" coordinated by the CoBRA troops with the support of the four new FOBs created in the area.

"The CoBRA teams carried out relentless operations in the dense forests of the district as we have these bases built deep inside the Naxal territory, which helps us get quick logistics and ensure reinforcements required for long and sustained operations against the Naxals," the second officer said.

In the same context, he said, a wanted Naxal of the Bihar-Jharkhand special area committee, Vijay Yadav alias Sandipji (aged 50-52 years), died on May 25 as he reportedly could not get proper treatment for his unidentified ailment.

The Maoist commander, who carried a reward of Rs 50 lakh and was booked in 140 police cases, could not get any treatment as the CRPF kept up the pressure and all the areas in the Chakrabandha forest region around Gaya and Aurangabad districts were being controlled by the troops of these FOBs, the officer said.

This particular area around the Chakrabandha forest has four new FOBs, he added.

The CRPF is the country's lead anti-Naxal operations force. It has deployed around one lakh personnel for the task in various LWE violence-affected districts, including those in Chhattisgarh.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)