An anti-Maoist operation in Rohtas. Telegraph picture

Patna, June 5: Compact discs (CDs) seized during recent raids on Maoist hideouts indicate that Naxalites operating in the state are being trained to handle sophisticated weapons on the lines of Iraqi militant groups.

During a joint operation by the CRPF’s CoBra battalion and the state police’s special task force (STF) last week, CDs showing training methodology adopted by Iraqi insurgent groups to train their cadres were seized from a Maoist training camp in Muzaffarpur’s Sahebganj area. Cassettes containing recorded songs of Iraqi militant groups were also recovered in large numbers from a rebels’ training camp near Bangra Paharpur village on the bank of river Gandak.

Inspector-general of police (IG) (operations) Amit Kumar, heading the STF, said: “Several CDs showing the training methods of Iraqi insurgent groups were found during a search of a rebels’ training camp in Muzaffarpur. Maoists are using the CDs to train new recruits.” He, however, added that the quality of training being imparted to the recruits was not up to the al Qaida standards.

“But they have been adopting different methods to train their cadres to handle weapons and make improvised explosive devices,” he said, adding that the security agencies had information about the use of such CDs by Maoists and of Naxalite training camps in Bangara Paharpur village in Sahebganj block and Chakkisarai village in Paru block of the district.

“But we launched the operation at the appropriate time,” Kumar added. Earlier, video cassettes showing rigorous training imparted to recruits were seized from Naxalite-hit areas like Jamui, Nawada, Rohtas, Kaimur and Banka districts.

Additional superintendent of police (SP) (operations) Rana Brajesh Bhushan, however, regretted that the forces reached the spot late, which helped the rebels, including women, to escape leaving behind clothes, IEDs apart from pressure cooker, can and cylinder bombs.

“It took several hours to arrange a boat for the forces to cross the river,” he said, adding that the Maoists fled the spot on boats. Bhushan, posted with the BSF, has been deployed as additional SP (operations) in Muzaffarpur district.

He said the forces were tipped off about the presence of at least four women Maoists in the camp, who were equipped with sophisticated weapons like Insas, AK-47 assault rifles, self-loading rifles and carbines.