Tribals' warfare shakes policemen

vadodara: the clock has turned back to medieval times in this district. numbers are counted as strength, bows and arrows are the main weapons and hills and ravines are the strategic locations to mount an attack on the enemy. after a week of skirmishes with tribals, resorting to medieval or perhaps primitive warfare tactics, 59 policemen are left injured, two men dead, several houses charred, vehicles torched and shops looted.it was not the 12 bore guns of the tribals that distressed the police and harassed their targets, but their traditional weapons, deft usage and surprise attacks that left police and the public vulnerable for most of the time last week. tribal hordes appeared from the woods, made strange scarry noises, rained arrows, pelted stones and vanished into thin air after inflicting damage. "they appeared from nowhere and started shooting arrows. later, gunshots were heard and we told our men to take positions. they made noises as if communicating among themselves and when we strengthened the defences, they vanished as fast as they had appeared," jha said.