A day after Maoists killed six CISF personnel and a driver inside the biggest iron ore mining facility in the country, the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) complex here remained unguarded. Locals dropped in, “examined” the damaged Bolero, went through belongings of the deceased, noted the bullet marks and clicked photographs and made video films, even picking up the occasional empty shells. Some even went down the tiny forest trail that disappeared into Bailadila hills — from where the Maoists came, attacked the cops and slipped away — despite this being a designated “Protected Area”. This explains why despite the presence of around 550 well-armed CISF men to guard the NMDC installation, Maoists met with zero resistance when they struck at the complex around 9 pm Sunday, in the second such attack here. The ambush on the CISF patrolling team was on a well-frequented road, with the mine office a mere 10 metres away. Nearly 200 employees are present here at any point of time and a CISF unit is posted on a hill just above the spot. Together with a facility in neighbouring Bacheli, the Kirandul installation produces over 25 million tonnes of iron ore per year, followed by the NMDC facility in Bellary with a mere 5 million tonnes. Bailadila hills have 14 proven iron ore deposits, all world-class. NMDC has mining permit for only five, with the remaining yet to be given on lease. This brings it in direct conflict with the Maoists, who have repeatedly opposed mining in the region. Just an hour after the Kirandul attack last night, the Naxalites in fact struck again, targeting a CISF camp about a kilometre away. While no one was injured in this incident, several rounds of fire were exchanged. In the attack on the NMDC complex, the Maoists took away four AK-47s, two INSAS rifles, 840 bullets, one hand-grenade, three walkie-talkie sets, two searchlights and six bulletproof jackets, while disfiguring the dead bodies with an axe. Despite the attack, when The Indian Express travelled to the spot from Dantewada hours later, there was no checking at the police stations along the 50-km route. Even NMDC gates remained open till Dantewada SP Narendra Khare reached the spot around 1.30 am with landmine vehicles. The attack lasted around 15 minutes. “At least a few persons must have been around in the office just on the other side of the road or in nearby offices. Many must have heard the firing, but no one is coming forward with any information,” said a police officer. He did not rule out the possibility of an insider giving Maoists information of when the CISF team would arrive for change of shift. While NMDC officials called it an “attack on the economy, an attempt to demoralise”, cops insisted it could not be called a security failure. Said SP Khare: “They took benefit of the geography, dense forests and hills. They watched the timing of the CISF team and ambushed them. This battle cannot be won in a day.” Asked if the mining facility is vulnerable, another police officer said: “They will not attack it. They only want to loot weapons.” In a statement to The Indian Express, the NMDC Project Management said that while they were “vulnerable”, “we not do not consider it a setback. We have been operating here for the last 50 years.” The first attack at the NMDC mine in Kirandul was in February 2006 when seven-eight CISF men had been killed, with the Maoists looting the plant’s magazine, where explosives are kept. Two months ago, on March 5, Naxalites had attacked CISF’s camp at Central Coalfields Limited in Jharkhand, in which four Maoists were killed. CISF Director General Rajiv visited Kirandul today and held meetings with state police officers. They are likely to increase security in the region.