Maoist violence dominate events of 2006 in Chhattisgarh

Raipur, Dec 31 (UNI) Maoist violence in tribal areas of Bastar and the controversial 'Salwa Judum'-- the anti-naxalite movement-- dominated events of 2006 in Chhattisgarh.

The naxal-related violence had claimed more than 500 lives, mainly in Bastar, during this year while more than 50,000 people, who had deserted their native villages due to the naxalite threat, continued to remain in 17 relief camps set up by the state government.

Communist Party of India (Maoist) cadres had stepped up their violence in 2005 after 'Salwa Judum' spread from one village to another in South Bastar.

While the government and those associated with the campaign termed it a ''spontaneous movement'' of the people against the three-decade old naxalite problem, Maoists retaliated with violence and attacked those who had participated in 'Salwa Judum' rallies.

Stepping up violence, Maoists abducted a number of villagers, attacked security forces and looted 20 tones of explosives from a depot of the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC), forcing the government to press National Security Guards (NSG) into service to recover the explosives.

The worst incident of naxalite violence took place in July at Errabor where Maoists set ablaze more than 500 houses in a relief camp, killing about 35 tribals who had taken shelter there. A large numbers of cattle heads were also perished.

Concerned over the rise in naxalite activities, the Chhattisgarh government implemented the state Public Security Act and imposed a ban on CPI (Maoist) and its frontal organisations. However, it did not help contain activities of the rebels.

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