Maoists blame Gill for leader's slaying

Raipur, Sep 18 (UNI) The CPI (Maoist) has blamed Chhattisgarh Home Minister Ram Vichar Netam and Security Advisor K P S Gill for the neutralising of its senior commander by the police in tribal Kanker district.

''It was a fake encounter. Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee Member Sriniwas alias Vikas, who was ill, was picked up on the intervening night of September 15 and 16,'' a CPI (Maoist) spokesman told UNI over telephone.

The spokesman blamed Mr Netam, Dr Gill, DGP O P Rathor and Kanker SP Pradeep Gupta for his leader's death.

''He could have been arrested but was slain,'' the spokesman alleged adding that the police claim about encounter killing of other Maoist cadres was false. He warned that the CPI (Maoist) would avenge the murder of Sriniwas, who was associated with the movement for nearly two-and-a-half decades.

The CPI (Maoist) would chalk out an appropriate action plan to deal with those responsible for what it termed as fake encounters.

UNI JJ AC 2051