Did the Maoists use grenade launchers?

What has surprised many security officials about the Sukma attack is that the Maoists are understood to have used a few under-barrel grenade launchers, a smart and sophisticated weapon used by security forces, to inflict casualties on the troops by lobbing grenades in quick succession.

“It is very likely that these UBGLs were looted from security forces only. That could be as recent as the incident where 12 CRPF men were killed in Sukma on March 11,” a senior officer said.

He said that while no improvised explosive device, the favourite weapon for inflicting damage on security forces, was used, what claimed lives was heavy usage of gun fire and grenades.

The officials said as the troops of the 74th battalion of the CRPF, which came under attack, and few other similar contingents have been using the same track for some time, there was a possibility that their “presence was being tracked, marked and trailed” by Maoist cadres. “Our men have told us that the villagers were making movements close to them. Villagers were also taken as shields by Naxals and that restricted our fire for some time,” the officer said.