Encounter or Massacre?

 

 

Straight out of a Bollywood pot-boiler? Recently, Chhattisgarh Police claimed it had gunned down as many as 15 naxalites in an encounter deep inside the Singaram Forest. However, in less than 24 hours, people from adjoining villages alleged that the slain were in fact their kin and had been shot in cold blood.

Dantewara Superintendent of Police Rahul Sharma said taht the alleged naxalites were members of a “Military Dalam”, preparing to disrupt the upcoming Republic Day by celebrating it as a “Black Day”. He said the police caught them near Singaram nullah, where they had gathered to strategise. However, villagers claimed police had handpicked them, accusing of not collaborating with Salwa Judum, the anti-naxalite programme and shot them point blank.

The villagers also stated that four of those gunned down belong to Singaram, eight to Danteshpuram, and five from Korsipad and Puspalli villages. One of the villagers, Iheka Mutta, told TSI: “Mutti, Lachha and Sita were returning from the fields when a few Salwa Judum supporters, SPOs and more than 100 police personnel picked them up in the pretext of taking their help in transferring rice sacks. The terrified villagers had no option. Their bodies were later found." Villagers then approached the authorities and alleged foul play.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Ajit Jogi has demanded an all-party committee to investigate the incident. Also, ex-MLA and Adivasi Mahasabha president Manish Kunjam has asked for a judicial enquiry. He alleges that while villagers reached on the spot to claim the bodies, the police failed to turn up. However, Home Minister Nankiram Kanwar is busy singing odes to the police, praising the courageous encounter. He insisted that usually, naxalites take away the bodies of their comrades, which is why the police could not trace them. But, in that case, how can they give the exact number 15 naxalites killed? The police countered by saying that they could not take the bodies away as it was dark when the encounter got over and it's difficult to look out for roads at night. But if it was such a successful operation, why didn’t 100 policemen camp inside the forest that night? Some villagers also alleged that some homes were ransacked. and three of the dead women were raped before being shot. While the issue is all set to rock the opening session of state Assembly, police is worried and looking out for fresh version of story for media to buy.