Naxalites demand judicial probe into fake encounter deaths

Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh, Apr 8 (UNI) The left-wing CPI(Maoist) has charged that police was killing several innocent tribals in Chattisgarh, claiming them to be encounter casualties and demanded a judicial inquiry.

Citing an instance of fake encounter, the naxalites claimed that five tribals, including a 12-year-old boy, were brutally killed by the police at Karkeli hillock near Kutru in Bijapur police district on March 26, while police claimed it was an encounter.

''In fact, after the death of a Special Police Officer (SPO) in Telipenta area, police killed five people, including the boy. No encounter between the police and naxalites took place on that day'', CPI(Maoist) West Bastar Divisional Committee Secretary Ganesh Uike said in a statement issued to the press today.

In order to dissuade local youth from associating with the left wing extremists, the Chhattisgarh government has recruited about 3500 youngsters including girls, as SPO on a monthly honorarium of Rs 1,500 to assist the police in intelligence gathering and other operations.

While demanding a judicial inquiry into the ''Karkeli encounter'' and action against police personnel involved, Mr Uike demanded that fake encounters should be stopped forthwith. ''On the pretext of anti-naxal 'Salwa Judum' movement, about 4,000 houses in 200 villages in south Bastar had been torched'', he added.

The left wing leader also demanded that 'Salwa Judum' movement should be stopped and CRPF and Nagaland Armed Police withdrawn from Bastar. The naxalite leader, however, owned responsibility for the recent attacks at Gangalur, Bailadila and Kothacheru in 'retaliation' for the anti-naxal drive.

UNI XC-SB VC1650