NEW DELHI, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- India's police say terrorists have been able to strike as the forces are geared up to protect politicians from Maoists rebels in Andhra Pradesh state.
According to a senior state police official, terrorists have been able to strike at will in the state because the police and security forces are engaged in protecting ministers and politicians from Maoists attacks.
The counterintelligence wing of the state police, which was set up to deal with terror-related activities, is ill-trained, whereas the anti-naxal wing is flooded with the budgetary support and manpower, The Times of India newspaper reported Wednesday. Maoists are called naxalites in the Indian context.
The unidentified senior police official said the state government has been ill-treating the counterintelligence wing for the last decade despite the fact that the state police department had been alerted that Hyderabad is on the radars of terrorists.
Twin bomb blasts killed 42 people in the state this past Saturday.
"The entire police machinery from village to the state level is involved in anti-naxal operations because they have made politicians their targets. Maoists have become core of the security in the state. The forces are more geared up to protect politicians from chief ministers to legislators not the common man," the official said.
He said there are no special arrangements made for the counterintelligence wing. Of the total 80,000-odd police force in the state, only 30,000 are armed and given special training in dealing with terror and insurgent strikes. Besides, a large number of armed forces are also deployed on convoy duty following the chief minister.
