State can not give arms to citizens to fight Naxalism: SC

New Delhi, Mar 31 (UNI) The Supreme Court today strongly disapproved the policy of the state of Chhattisgarh to provide arms to private persons to face the Naxal problem and made it clear that maintaining law and order is a responsibility of the state.

A bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice Aftab Alam directed the petitioners Nandani and Ramchander Goha to file an application for CBI probe into the killings by the members of Salwa Judum (state sponsored movement to fight Naxalites) and adjourned the hearing till April 13.

The petitioners have alleged in thier petitions that Salwa Judum movement is nothing but state sponsored terrorism and those involved in this movement were indulging in large scale killings and torture of the innocent natives of Chhattisgarh under the garb of anti-Naxal movement.

The petitioners have prayed to the court to direct the state government to disband Salwa Judum committees and stop providing arms to them.

" You can not supply arms to private citizens and encourage them to take law into their hands. This is responsibility of the state to maintain law and order and also to safeguard the lives and properties of its citizens," the apex court told the state government.

UNI SC KK AS1742