Incident Summary:
06/23/2009: On Tuesday, in an unspecified location in Orissa, India, approximately 40 armed assailants attacked the offices of a wildlife sanctuary, taking the watch officer hostage; then set fire to three buildings, damaging all three buildings. Later, the hostage escaped. The Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) claimed responsibility. This is one of three related attacks.
Overview
GTD ID:
200906230008
When:
2009-06-23
Country:
India
Region:
South Asia
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Orissa
City:
Unknown
Location Details:
The attack took place at the offices of a wildlife sanctuary in an unspecified city Orissa, India.
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Armed Assault |
Type of Attack () |
Hostage Taking (Kidnapping) |
Type of Attack () |
Facility/Infrastructure Attack |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Government (General) |
Name of Entity |
India government |
Specific Description |
The target was the offices of a wildlife sanctuary. |
Nationality of Target |
India |
Target Type: Police |
Name of Entity |
Orissa Law Enforcement |
Specific Description |
The target was the watch officer. |
Nationality of Target |
India |
Additional Information
Hostages |
Yes |
Number of Hostages |
1 |
US Hostages |
0 |
Outcome |
Hostage(s) escaped (not during rescue attempt) |
Ransom |
No |
Property Damage |
Yes |
Extent of Property Damage |
Unknown |
Value of Property Damage |
Unknown |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Unknown |
|
Incendiary |
Arson/Fire |
Weapon Details |
Unknown weapons and an unknown incendiary device were used in the attack. |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | No |
Part of Multiple Incident? | Yes |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Doubt Terrorism Proper () |
No |
Additional Information |
The available sources give the location as Sunabeda, Nuapada, Orissa, India, but this location is not in the database as it is unable to be verified. Therefore, to preserve statistical accuracy in the database, unknown was used for the name of the city. This was one of three related attacks (cf. 200906230009, 200906230010). |
Who
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
40 |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
0 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
0 Fatalities / 0 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
0 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
0 |
Total Number of Injured |
0 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
National Counterterrorism Center, "Two Government Employees Wounded in Assault, One Government Employee, Two Civilians Kidnapped by CPI-Maoist in Nuapada, Orissa, India," Worldwide Incidents Tracking System, November 17, 2009. |
South Asian Terrorism Portal, "Maoists Damage Cellular Phone Towers and Railway Property in Orissa," http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/detailed_news.asp?date1=6/25/2009#1 (June 25, 2009). |
Jane's Intelligence, "CPI-M Militants Attack Forestry Office in India's Orissa," Terrorism Watch Report, June 25, 2009. |
Criteria
Criteria 1
The act must be aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious, or social goal. In terms of economic goals, the exclusive pursuit of profit does not satisfy this criterion. It must involve the pursuit of more profound, systemic economic change.
Criterion 2
There must be evidence of an intention to coerce, intimidate, or convey some other message to a larger audience (or audiences) than the immediate victims. It is the act taken as a totality that is considered, irrespective if every individual involved in carrying out the act was aware of this intention. As long as any of the planners or decision-makers behind the attack intended to coerce, intimidate or publicize, the intentionality criterion is met.
Criterion 3
The action must be outside the context of legitimate warfare activities. That is, the act must be outside the parameters permitted by international humanitarian law (particularly the prohibition against deliberately targeting civilians or non-combatants.
Doubt Terrorism Proper
The existence of a "Yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper?" records reservation, in the eyes of GTD analysts, that the incident in question is truly terrorism. Such uncertainty, however, was not deemed to be sufficient to disqualify the incident from inclusion into the GTD. Furthermore, such a determination of doubt is subsequently coded by GTD analysts as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Alternate Designation
The determination of "yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper" by GTD analysts is coded as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Successful Attack
Success of a terrorist strike is defined according to the tangible effects of the attack. For example, in a typical successful bombing, the bomb detonates and destroys property and/or kills individuals, whereas an unsuccessful bombing is one in which the bomb is discovered and defused or detonates early and kills the perpetrators. Success is not judged in terms of the larger goals of the perpetrators. For example, a bomb that exploded in a building would be counted as a success even if it did not, for example, succeed in bringing the building down or inducing government repression.
Type of Attack
This field captures the general method of attack and often reflects the broad class of tactics used. It consists of the following nine categories:
- Assassination
- Armed Assault
- Unarmed Assault
- Bombing/Explosion
- Hijacking
- Hostage taking (Barricade Incident)
- Hostage taking (Kidnapping)
- Facility / Infrastructure Attack
- Unknown
Target Information
This field captures the general type of target. It consists of the following 22 categories:
- Abortion Related
- Airports & Airlines
- Business
- Government (General)
- Government (Diplomatic)
- Educational Institution
- Food or Water Supply
- Journalists & Media
- Maritime (includes Ports and Maritime facilities)
- Military
- NGO
- Other
- Police
- Private Citizens & Property
- Religious Figures/Institutions
- Telecommunication
- Terrorists
- Tourists
- Transportation (other than aviation)
- Unknown
- Utilities
- Violent Political Parties