Ten jawans and a civilian driver, who were returning in a van following an…
2023
Ten jawans and a civilian driver, who were returning in a van following an anti-Maoist operation, were killed in a blast caused by an improvised explosive device (IED) in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada on April 26. The IED was planted beneath a metalled road. The impact was so forceful that it created a huge crater on the road.
Though this attack, which according to the State Police had been carried out by the proscribed Communist Party of India (Maoist), is under investigation, the larger issues of the use of IEDs and of tackling such devices must be seriously addressed at different levels—the government, industries, the Maoists, and the security forces—despite the government’s claim that the base of the Maoists has shrunk and violence has decreased.
IEDs are among the most potent tools deployed by the Maoists. Even a small formation of Maoists can cause huge damage to the security forces by using an IED. Therefore, the recent theft of about 7,000 detonators by suspected Maoists from West Singhbhum, Jharkhand, is alarming.
The technical equipment used by the security forces to detect IEDs has its limitations. If the quantity of metal in the IED is low or the IED is planted deep under the road, mine detectors may fail to find it. Though hundreds of IEDs are detected and defused every year, a search party could still miss a few for technical reasons. Ground-penetrating radar, which can detect recent disturbances in the soil subsurface, has also not proved successful.
Given below are two statements:
Statement I: The theft of 700 detonators by suspected Maoists is a signal of danger.
Statement II: No improvement in the technology used to detect IEDs is needed.
In light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below.
Answer: B. Both Statement I and Statement II are incorrect — ConceptIn a passage-based statement question, each assertion must be tested against the passage’s exact facts and implications. A numerical mismatch or an…
- A.
Both Statement I and Statement II are correct
- B.
Both Statement I and Statement II are incorrect
- C.
Statement I is correct but Statement II is incorrect
- D.
Statement I is incorrect but Statement II is correct
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Concept
In a passage-based statement question, each assertion must be tested against the passage’s exact facts and implications. A numerical mismatch or an absolute claim that conflicts with the passage makes that statement unsupported.
Application
Statement I mentions 700 detonators, whereas the passage reports about 7,000 detonators. Because the stated number does not match the passage, Statement I is incorrect.
Statement II says that no improvement in detection technology is needed. The passage instead describes limitations of mine detectors and ground-penetrating radar and notes that search teams may miss IEDs, so Statement II is incorrect.
Cross-check
The first statement fails the exact-number check, and the second contradicts the passage’s discussion of detection limitations. Thus both statements receive the same incorrect classification.
Result
Both Statement I and Statement II are incorrect.