AICC team to probe controversial Bastar encounter

Raipur, May 6 (UNI) All India Congress Committee (AICC) will depute its team to probe into the reports that seven tribals were killed in a police encounter in Santoshpur village in Naxalite infested Bijapur in Bastar region.

''Congress team will visit Bastar soon on a fact-finding mission'', party sources said.

Stating that the decision to depute a team was taken after party's SC/ST cell apprised the high command about the plight of innocent tribals of Bastar who were caught in the crossfire between security forces and Maoists, the sources said the AICC team would visit Santoshpur and later submit its report to Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

Meanwhile, former state Chief Minister Ajit Jogi has demanded a high level probe into all encounters that took place in Bastar during the last three years, particularly in the light of reports that innocent tribals were killed in police action at Ponjer village in Bijapur.

He alleged that there has been a spurt in incidents of encounters ever since Salwa Judum-- an anti-Naxalite campaign in South Bastar-- was launched in June 2005.

Director General of state Police Om Prakash Rathor has already directed Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) and Bijapur superintendent of police to investigate into the matter and register cases, if anyone was found guilty in the encounter at Ponjer village.

Residents of Ponjer village have alleged a group of tribals were picked up by members of the Chattisgarh Armed Police and and activists of Salwa Judum and taken to nearby Santoshpur, where they were subsequently killed.

While the police claimed that these were members of the Sangam-- the grass root level sympathisers of the Communist Party of India (Maoists)-- the villagers claimed that the victims had no contact with anyone remotely concerned with Naxalites. They also alleged that these tribals were picked up while they were collecting mahua, a local flower.

UNI