Suspected Maoists attacked the Doordarshan Kendra in Jagdalpur, on the border of Bastar"™s headquarters, killing three Chhattisgarh Police jawans and injuring another in the small hours of Sunday.
The security brass, however, is unsure whether the aggression was aimed at the Doordarshan Kendra. The Indian public service broadcaster may have been under attack of insurgents in Kashmir, but it had never been on the hit list of Left-wing extremists.
A senior Doordarshan official confirmed that they had never received any threat from Maoists while working in Bastar."Normally, rebels issue documents, naming their enemies. But, Doordarshan had never found a place on that the list in the past," he said.
Police claimed that the broadcaster was perhaps not the target because the rebels had not entered its building or vandalise property. An officer linked the attack to the strategy of Maoists to make their presence felt in the pocket that adjoins the otherwise safe and protected Jagdalpur.
"The rebels are also observing the tactical counter-offensive campaign and the attack was a part of it," he said. He added that the rebels might intensify their attack in the coming days.
Authorities are also said to be looking into Maoist role in the attack in the first place. The intruders gunned down the jawans and did not face retaliation. Moreover, they did not carry away arms and ammunition as Maoists do.