A mobile tower in Ranchi: Threat to Naxalites

Ranchi, Dec. 24: To stop the police from eavesdropping into their telephonic conversations and to send a warning to telecom operators keen on expanding their network in the state, Naxalites are blowing up mobile towers.

In the current year alone they have blown up well over seven mobile towers of various cellular operators across the state, including the December 21 incident in Palamau.

The police fears that this trend is bound to increase in the coming days. Reason: the police are tapping their cellular conversation and using the information to nab them.

The state police has arrested as many as 42 Naxalites — from area commanders to politburo members — mostly through intervening into their cellular conversations and mapping their locations.

“We tap their (Naxalites) cellular conversation and learn about heir location. Then we raid them and catch them,” said Palamau superintendent of police Deepak Verma. As many as four such incidents have taken place here.

Sources in the state police said that the rebels are now being careful and not exchanging information on phones. But they cannot resist using cellphones, sources added.

“They do not want to be covered under the mobile operation network. And their frequent attacks on mobile towers is stopping several cellular operators from continuing with their expansion plans,” said an official of a mobile operating company, requesting anonymity.

Now new mobile operators are also hesitant in making a foray into the region.

The state police recently introduced Terrestrial Trunking Radio (Tetra), which has a specific frequency allotted by the Union government. Unlike wireless radios, which can be heard by a third person, this device works like a mobile phone limiting the exchange between two persons.

“At times, Naxalites demand levy from telecom companies and, if refused, they blow up mobile towers,” said inspector-general S.N. Pradhan, police modernisation and state police spokesperson.

Mobile towers are being blown up in the neighbouring states of Jharkhand as well. According to a recent revelation from the Union home ministry, as many as 43 such incidents have happened in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Orissa, besides Jharkhand.