Chhattisgarh: Threat by Naxals forces four tribal families leave homes

Raipur, July 29: Four tribal families left their homes in Chhattisgarh's Kondagaon district allegedly after Naxals threatened them with dire consequences, police said on Sunday.

The villagers approached the police yesterday after escaping from Becha village, located deep inside the Abujhmad area (a Maoist stronghold), Kondagaon Superintendent of Police (SP) Abhishek Pallava told PTI.

He said as per preliminary information, around 24 adult members of these families left the village along with their children, whose exact number is not yet known. In their statements, the victims said Maoists had been accusing them of acting as police informers as a few of their relatives joined the police force, the SP said.

They were allegedly being pressured to support the outlaws, but when they denied, naxals threatened to kill them, Pallava said quoting the victims. On Friday night, the victims came to know that naxals were planning to hold a 'jan adalat' (people's court) to convict their family members following which they escaped from the village yesterday morning.

The victims contacted the Chhote Dongar police station, located around 300 km from state capital Raipur, he said. Later, heads of these families were brought to the Kondagaon district headquarters, Pallava said. The other members of their families are still at the premises of the Chhote Dongar police station as public transport was suspended in the area as 'Martyrs' Week' is being observed by the ultras, the SP said.

The remaining family members will be brought to Kondagaon soon, he said. Based on complaints of each family, separate cases will be registered, the SP added. Pallava said about three to four members of these families allegedly acted as naxal supporters in the past and now they will be asked to formally surrender before the police.

The victims who have left their homes will be given compensation as per the government's policy, he added. Maoists are losing their support base and hence, are "terrorising" othervillagersto support them or quit their native place, according to police.

PTI