The anti-Naxal drive in Andhra Pradesh is slowly losing its edge as the Greyhounds and the state police are reluctant to conduct operations or engage the Maoists after the Andhra Pradesh High Court made it mandatory to file cases against personnel involved if there were killings in encounters. The Supreme Court ordered a stay on the AP High Court order on March 4 in an appeal made by Andhra Pradesh Police Officers Association, but officers no longer want to take risks.

"Officers are unwilling to put their careers at stake. When conducting anti-Naxal or anti-terrorist operations, encounters are inevitable. If FIRs are going to be registered against police personnel for doing what is expected of them, then no one would take risks," said Inspector General of Police Rajiv Trivedi. Trivedi, who started taking part in anti-Naxal operations as a young Assistant Superintendent of Police, was posted with the Greyhounds thrice. His last posting was as IG, Greyhounds.

He is now posted at the Andhra Pradesh Police Academy.

After the AP High Court verdict, not many search and combing operations have been conducted though intelligence reports suggest of heightened activity on the Andhra-Orissa and Andhra-Chhattisgarh border.

"We are alert on the borders, especially in Khammam district which borders Chhattisgarh, but everyone is wary of conducting any operation or an ambush that might end in exchange of fire or an encounter," an officer posted with the Greyhounds said.

Prior to the last reshuffle in the police, several officers lobbied against being posted with the Greyhounds and Octopus. "If I am asked to go after the Maoists again, I will simply say no, thank you," said a Greyhounds officer.

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