Nonetheless, given the special character of jungle warfare and the relative inaccessibility of their operational zones, Maoists have certainly developed the means to ward off Indian forces, including eventually the Indian army, for years. Even a single forest brigand, Veerappan, accompanied by a few dozen armed men, was able to resist security forces for decades. As with Veerappan and the LTTE in Sri Lanka, the security forces are likely to suffer relatively more damage in the initial stages due to the unfamiliar terrain and lack of penetration in the local population (see, e.g., “Naxals rule the roost as cops take it easy,” Times of India, 22 June 2011). The history of insurgency in the North-East shows that the Indian government will respond to the early setbacks with escalated violence, perhaps armed with special laws such as the Armed Forces Special Powers Act which is in operation in Kashmir and the North-East for decades.