A Pilot project to use aerial surveillance in anti-Naxal operations seems to have ended in failure with both the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) deployed in Chhattisgarh recalled to their bases by the Indian Air Force (IAF). The machines, deployed in August 2006 at the Raipur airfield, had been “forcefully grounded” after failing to collect adequate information about Naxal movements in the state.

While the official explanation for the withdrawal is bad weather conditions that made the machines ineffective, sources said the IAF decided to roll back the UAVs following a rift with state authorities.

The IAF is livid that after initial success in detecting Naxal movements and positions, aerial evidence dried out suddenly indicating an intelligence leak on flight details of the spy drones. The inability of state authorities to follow up on evidence gathered by UAVs has also caused some frustration.

“We were detecting Naxal training camps, meeting places and movements in the initial period. Later the UAVs became ineffective as the Naxalites seemed to know the areas being kept under surveillance,” a senior official said.

However, the official position remains that the machines have been called back for maintenance work.

“There is no rift between the IAF and the police as we both are part of the Government. Chhattisgarh is seeing overcast conditions these days, which make aerial surveillance difficult. Thus we have shifted the UAVs to utilise this break for maintenance of those machines, which is quite normal,” said Mahesh Upasani, Air Force spokesperson, Wing Commander.

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