Date:21/10/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/10/21/stories/2005102110061200.htm

Andhra Pradesh

A communication gap saved Naidu

K. Srinivas Reddy

Failure of "scout" led to delay in triggering the claymore mines

HYDERABAD: The Telugu Desam chief and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, owes his life to an unnamed Maoist, who was part of the team that carried out an abortive attack on him at Alipiri two years ago.

The naxalite's failure to intimate the team about Mr. Naidu's movements led to a split-second delay in triggering the claymore mines, possibly saving his life. Mr. Naidu, his Cabinet colleague, B. Gopalakrishna Reddy, legislators R. Rajasekhara Reddy and Chadalavada Krishna Murthy, and security personnel were injured in the attack.

Insight into the attack

The failure of the `scout' came to light through an article in Jung, the military magazine of the Maoists. It provides an insight into the planning and execution of the attack.

The report, a copy of which is in the possession of The Hindu , said the `Special Action Team' (SAT) hid 17 claymore mines underneath a paved embankment of the ghat road, about 150 yards from the Alipiri junction. The detonation point was 12 m away from the mines, and the team detailed for detonation had an excellent view of the road.

"The team collected the details of Naidu's movement in Tirupati and was ready. Our comrades connected the camera flash gun to mines and hid it. ... CM started for Tirumala at 4 p.m. But since the scout did not alert the team about the movement [of the convoy], the team had to face a situation for which they were totally unprepared," the article said.

Written by attack team?

"The teams rushed to the place, took out the flash gun even while trying to get input from the scout, and then they noticed the escort vehicle zipping past. Then the CM's car came into view and without losing a second, we detonated the mines and retreated instantly," the article, probably written by the action team, said.

The delay apparently saved Mr. Naidu's life as the boot of the level-3 bulletproof car took the full impact of the shot-put balls used as projectiles. The white Ambassador car overturned due to the massive blast. Mr. Naidu, who was sitting in the front and had not fastened his seat belt, sustained a hairline fracture on his shoulder.

"It took about five minutes for the police and other officials to reach the overturned car. They did not attempt to catch any of us," the action team wrote. On an introspective note, it admitted they underestimated the strength of the bulletproof car. "Despite the massive blast, the car withstood the shock wave."

The article disclosed that the SAT carried out several "dry runs," during which they blasted 17 electronic detonators using the same length of electrical wire and the same camera flash gun.