Chhattisgarh police denies misbehaviour with foreign scribes

Raipur, June 16 (UNI) Police today denied that security forces had misbehaved with foreign journalists, who were touring the naxalite-infested South Bastar region in Chhattisgarh during the two day 'road blockade' agitation by the banned Communist Party of India (Maoists).

Director General of Police Om Prakash Rathor has sought information from Bijapur Superintendent of Police Ratanlal Dangi following a complaint regarding alleged misbehaviour by the police with three foreign women journalists and a foreign freelance photographer at Bhairamgarh.

Police sources said the foreign media personnel, accompanied by representative of a Raipur-based Non-Government Organisation, had reached Bhairamgarh yesterday where the state government had set up relief camps for the people, who had deserted their villages following threat by the naxalites.

As none of these foreigners were in possession of passport and other documents, the sources said, the officers present there told them that they cannot permit them to visit the relief camps without the written permission from the district administration.

They insisted that they were given verbal permission by the Dantewara district collector, the sources said, adding that the Collector could not be contacted as he was away at a relief camp at Dornapal. Besides, the foreign journalists said they had left their travel documents at the hotel.

Sources said the administration was not averse to foreign journalists visiting the naxalite infested area but they should be in possession of their passport and other travel documents for their identification. Besides, it will also be in the interest of their security to apprise the administration and the police about their tour in the naxalite infested areas, they added.

UNI JJ SP VA DS1300