Naxals using audio clips to spread propaganda: Chhattisgarh official

RAIPUR: Naxals, who usually use banners and leaflets to spread their propaganda in Chhattisgarh's Bastar division , are now allegedly using audio clips, a senior official said on Tuesday.

The matter came to light after the police recovered a mini sound speaker connected to a battery, playing Maoist speeches and songs in local dialect, on a forest route in Kanker district on Monday, the official said.

"Security personnel have recovered a mini speaker with a memory card containing Maoist audio messages from Pakhanjore-Kapsi road in Kanker," inspector general of police (Bastar range) Sundarraj P said on Tuesday.

Maoist banners were also recovered from the area in support of the martyrs' week being observed by ultras from July 28 to August 3, he said.

"This is for the first time that an electronic device playing Maoists messages has been recovered from the region. Traditionally, naxals use posters, banners and pamphlets to spread their propaganda," he said.

Maoists allegedly switched on the device and placed it in the area to spread their message through audio clips, he said.

However, the matter is being probed, as there is also a possibility that some miscreants may be behind this, the IG added.

Security forces have also been cautioned before touching such devices if spotted in the forest, as it could be connected to improvised explosive devices (IEDs) normally planted by naxals to target the police, he said.

Meanwhile, security has been beefed up in the entire Bastar division comprising Dantewada, Bijapur, Bastar, Narayanpur , Kondagaon, Sukma and Kanker districts in view of the martyrs' week, he added.