In the past four moths, the four companies of CoBRA have just made five forays. Unlike the Greyhounds, who fight Naxals in Andhra Pradesh, the CoBRA does not have an intelligence wing of its own.

“Our force cannot operate in the Jungle Mahal area due to lack of ground intelligence. The commandos are mostly confined to the barracks. We have been asking for specific inputs from the state intelligence agencies for a long time, but to no avail,” said a senior officer leading the CoBRA units in West Midnapore.

However, the state government has sent a proposal to the Centre asking for four more CoBRA companies for deployment in West Midnapore district.

State DGP Bhupindar Singh said, “We have been asked by the CoBRA commandos to provide specific inputs. The state intelligence agencies have been alerted about it. In view of the vulnerable situation in the Jungle Mahal area, we have asked the Centre for additional four companies of CoBRA.”

A senior Union home ministry offcial, however, said, “No decision has been taken about sending additional forces of CoBRA to the state as the Centre would evaluate how the present CoBRA forces are operating in the state.”

According to a senior officer of district police, around Rs 1.5-2 lakh are spent for one company of CoBRA commandos per month. “We are spending huge money for the force but are not able to use it properly. If we get additional CoBRA force, we have to keep them confined to the barracks and spend more money on them,” said the officer.

“In a recent meeting between officers of joint forces and the state intelligence agencies, we asked them to supply information about Maoist leader Koteswar Rao alias Kishenji so that the CoBRA can be pressed in action to capture him. But we are yet to receive any specific information about him. Instead, lot of confusion has been created about the identity of Kishenji through media reports,” said the officer.