No small mistakes,no second chance

Investigations revealed that the air-conditioner in the vehicle was not working. “Due to the heat,they had not worn helmets,” Ansari told the police.

In a state where more than 350 policemen have died in Naxalite violence since 2000 (more than 40 of them this year itself),the security personnel are often found breaking the rules. “The number of casualty could have been far less had the security forces stuck to the rules,” said DIG R K Mullick.

On April 16,seven BSF personnel on poll duty and two staff of a private bus in which they were returning to their camp at Ladup died in a landmine explosion set off by the Maoists in Latehar.

Instead of walking back to the camp as per the SOPs,the personnel had requisitioned the bus.

“This lapse proved fatal,” IG S N Pradhan had told The Indian Express the day the incident had occurred.

One of the survivors,BSF constable Pratap Singh,said they had boarded the bus because they were running short of time.

“We had got up at 2 am. At 4 am we were out with the poll staff. After escorting them for nearly six km on foot,we were on way back to the camp. Since we had to attend duty at a polling booth by 7 am,we were left with little time. This made us call for the bus,” he said.

Despite the problems faced by the security forces,most of the top brass said that the SOPs should be followed with better coordination to prevent casualty.

DGP V D Ram said: “We are trying to ensure that. We hope we succeed.”