Really? Chhattisgarh papers claim topless Maoists 'distracted' jawans during attack

If you thought that you have had the end of conspiracy theories after the deadly Maoist attack in Sukma on the Congress convoy, think again. “Topless hokar force ko uksati hain Maowadi yuvtiyan” - (Maoist women cadres go topless in order to distract security forces) scream the headlines of the local Chhattisgarh paper Patrika. The paper goes on to report that during encounters women go topless, and hurl abuses in ordere to hold position against the security forces. [caption id=“attachment_848767” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Topless Maoist women cadres provoke security forces - Where are all these conspiracy theories coming from? AFP.[/caption] Not just that the paper goes on to mention in detail how the Maoist women in Sukma are more headstrong and determined than their counterparts in the rest of the Red corridor and often provoke the security forces by abusing them during cross firing. This is put out in the paper as ‘Tainat jawano ne kiya sansanikhej khulasa’ (The fascinating revelations made by jawans) The same newspaper also reported that in its 29 May edition another ‘fascinating’ Maoist strategy. The headline reads , “The Maoists had Rs 50-a litre mineral water bottles with them to beat dehydration.” Not just that the paper claims that the Maoists also had refrigerated cartons of lassi with them so that their cadres would not complain of dehydration in the hot and humid climate of Chhattisgarh. As proof of its claims the paper presents pictures of the mineral water brand Qua that is a premium product even in urban regions. It also carried pictures of refrigerated and unused lassi cartons which it says are indications of how the Maoists are well equipped to handle any kind of crisis, even in a terrain as difficult as that of Chhattisgarh. Caught up in its theories however, the paper strangely does not bother to ask whether the water bottles were in fact used by members of the ill fated Congress convoy that came under attack. However, an Indian Express report highlighting the same problem does say IE spoke to one Congress leader and he did say that it belonged to him. Not to be outdone by Patrika, Haribhoomi, another local daily has alleged that the Maoist attack has a foreign hand, “notorious French Maoist, Jan Myrdal”. The paper alleges that the he had devised the strategy for a Maoist attack along with Maoist commander Ganapathy. The Indian Express report however, points out the anomalies. First of all, Jan Myrdal, the son of Nobel Prize winners Gunnar and Alva Myrdal, is not French but Swedish. Secondly, he has never denied having links with Maoists but he has always maintained that he has no role whatsoever in their strategy. So all these claims made by the local media are neither novel, nor true. Where does all this conspiracy theory lead to? Or is it as some conspiracy theorists would like us to believe, diverting our attention from the fact that insiders might have been involved in the Maoist attack?