'Celebration at JNU after massacre of 76 jawans pained me'

Raipur, Feb 19: A senior police officer of Chhattisgarh today said the reports of "celebration" at the Jawaharlal Nehru University after the massacre of 76 security personnels by the Maoists in Dantewada had disappointed him.

JNU is currently at the centre of a controversy over arrest of student leader Kanhaiya Kumar for 'anti-national' slogan-shouting at an event.

"I felt disappointed when I came to know that celebration was held at JNU (by some students) after the killing of 76 jawans in the forest of Tadmetla in 2010. I was then posted as DIG in the region," Inspector General of police, Bastar range, SRP Kalluri said at a press conference here this evening.

"At that time some fiction writers had dubbed the incident as a victory of people. However Bastar has transformed a lot now from what it was in 2010. Bastar has become emboldened," he said. "People of Bastar are gathering under the banner of an organisation named Samajik Ekta Manch and raising their voice against Naxals.

Now they won't tolerate anybody coming from outside and supporting Maoists," he said. Special director general of police (anti-Naxal operations) D M Awasthi who was also present denied that the current events at JNU may bring down the morale of security forces who are fighting the left wing extremism. "Morale of security forces is very high.

They are battling the rebels in adverse conditions. We are all Indians and have faith in the law of the land and the constitution," he said. He said at least 31 Naxals have been gunned down by the police since the start of 2016 and several others arrested.

PTI