Attack From Above

Will the campaign against the Maoists be launched from the air? The Union home ministry has agreed, in principle, to provide Mi-8 helicopters to the worst-affected states. Awaiting clearance of the Cabinet Committee on Security, the IAF choppers will be made available to Red corridor states AP, Bihar, Orissa, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. The request had been long-pending from the states, and will help the forces improve response time against Naxal violence in remote areas. The copters will be stationed at Visakhapatnam or Hyderabad.