NAGPUR/CHANDRAPUR: The intrusion of a suspected Maoist in the room where injured jawans are being treated in Gadchiroli Civil Hospital on Friday night exposed the lapses in security at the hospital. Injured jawan Shankar Kowase was left panicked after the intruder attempted to creep into his hospital room.
C-60 commando Kowase was admitted to the civic hospital at Gadchiroli after sustaining a bullet injury during the encounter with Naxals last week in the jungles adjoining Nargonda in Bhamragarh. He was wounded along with Sado Pallo. Commander Chinna Venta was shot dead in the same encounter. Another C-60 jawan was killed along with two other special police officers at Beijur phata on the same day.
Kowase was left rattled after spotting suspicious movements outside his room on Friday night. "There was not a single policemen deployed in the hospital for our protection. Somebody opened the door during the night, but he ran away when I woke up. My friend searched for the intruder but failed to find anybody. I suspect it was a Maoist looking to target us again," said Kowase.
Additional superintendent of police, Gadchiroli, Chandrakishor Meena said that the hospital was under police scanner round the clock and plain clothes security personnel were present. "The injured jawan may not know it but there is police presence at the hospital," said Meena. "There were two caretakers deployed for the constables too," he said.
A senior official associated with the state anti-Naxal operations said there is regular movement of police in the hospital. "The movement of a Naxal in plain clothes outside the hospital is nothing surprising. It is difficult to differentiate a Naxal from common people when they are in plain clothes. However, they will not attempt a sabotage in the hospital. It would be difficult for them to escape from the city," said the official.
Kowase, though, also spoke about the apathy of senior officials and their widening rift with the rank and file. He revealed that jawans who directly face the Naxal threat in the jungle do not get support from their officers.
"Now-a-days, no officer accompanies jawans during anti-Naxal operations in jungle. Jawans are overstrained by repeated deployment on operations and get little rest. At times, we are sent for five-day-long operations in jungle and then immediately deployed on another one as soon as we return to the base," said Kowase.
"Earlier, jawans used to enjoy camaraderie with the officers. They used to visit injured jawan to inquire about their health. There used to be proper security at hospitals. And every jawan had the feeling of being backed by his officers, which is missing now," he said.
After Kowase cried foul following the intrusion in his room, proper security has been deployed at the hospital from Saturday. Some officers too visited the injured jawans after Kowase's outcry. "There was no security on May 19, when I reached to see my injured brother at the hospital. None of the officer had come to see him till Saturday. The scene in Gadchiroli police administration has changed a lot in recent times," said his brother Devaji Kowase.
Devaji has been posted in Pune since the last one year, and was earlier party commander of a C-60 team in Gadchiroli and well-known for his bravery and daredevil assault tactics. "All party commanders are on the radar of Naxals, but a few like martyr Chinna Venta are prime target. While jawans are ready to face the Naxals in the jungle, all they need is support from their officers," said Devaji
C-60 commando Kowase was admitted to the civic hospital at Gadchiroli after sustaining a bullet injury during the encounter with Naxals last week in the jungles adjoining Nargonda in Bhamragarh. He was wounded along with Sado Pallo. Commander Chinna Venta was shot dead in the same encounter. Another C-60 jawan was killed along with two other special police officers at Beijur phata on the same day.
Kowase was left rattled after spotting suspicious movements outside his room on Friday night. "There was not a single policemen deployed in the hospital for our protection. Somebody opened the door during the night, but he ran away when I woke up. My friend searched for the intruder but failed to find anybody. I suspect it was a Maoist looking to target us again," said Kowase.
Additional superintendent of police, Gadchiroli, Chandrakishor Meena said that the hospital was under police scanner round the clock and plain clothes security personnel were present. "The injured jawan may not know it but there is police presence at the hospital," said Meena. "There were two caretakers deployed for the constables too," he said.
A senior official associated with the state anti-Naxal operations said there is regular movement of police in the hospital. "The movement of a Naxal in plain clothes outside the hospital is nothing surprising. It is difficult to differentiate a Naxal from common people when they are in plain clothes. However, they will not attempt a sabotage in the hospital. It would be difficult for them to escape from the city," said the official.
Kowase, though, also spoke about the apathy of senior officials and their widening rift with the rank and file. He revealed that jawans who directly face the Naxal threat in the jungle do not get support from their officers.
"Now-a-days, no officer accompanies jawans during anti-Naxal operations in jungle. Jawans are overstrained by repeated deployment on operations and get little rest. At times, we are sent for five-day-long operations in jungle and then immediately deployed on another one as soon as we return to the base," said Kowase.
"Earlier, jawans used to enjoy camaraderie with the officers. They used to visit injured jawan to inquire about their health. There used to be proper security at hospitals. And every jawan had the feeling of being backed by his officers, which is missing now," he said.
After Kowase cried foul following the intrusion in his room, proper security has been deployed at the hospital from Saturday. Some officers too visited the injured jawans after Kowase's outcry. "There was no security on May 19, when I reached to see my injured brother at the hospital. None of the officer had come to see him till Saturday. The scene in Gadchiroli police administration has changed a lot in recent times," said his brother Devaji Kowase.
Devaji has been posted in Pune since the last one year, and was earlier party commander of a C-60 team in Gadchiroli and well-known for his bravery and daredevil assault tactics. "All party commanders are on the radar of Naxals, but a few like martyr Chinna Venta are prime target. While jawans are ready to face the Naxals in the jungle, all they need is support from their officers," said Devaji
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