Bastar teens not Maoists, killed in fake encounter: Villagers
The villagers said the two deceased, aged 16 and 18, were from the Barsoor region in Dantewada and had gone to a relative’s village in the same district to inform them about a death in the family when they were shot dead.
A week after Chhattisgarh Police killed two “Maoists” in Bastar district, villagers in Barsoor are staging a protest for the past two days alleging that the two were killed in a fake encounter. The villagers said the two deceased, aged 16 and 18, were from the Barsoor region in Dantewada and had gone to a relative’s village in the same district to inform them about a death in the family when they were shot dead.
On September 24, the police had said they gunned down two Maoists in the Sanguel forests of the Burgum region. The police said the two were likely from the Barsoor area committee of the Maoists. Police confirmed protests outside the Barsoor police station by villagers, who demanded an FIR into the incident.
“The villagers claimed that Sonaku Ram and Bijno were not Maoists. They had gone to Sanguel to inform a relative about the death of a six-year-old in the family. They could not return the same day as it was very late. At 4 am, they were dragged out of the hut and killed in a fake encounter. Sonaku Ram had studied in a government school till Class VIII,” a Barsoor resident told the Indian Express.
The Congress MLA from the region, Devti Karma, expressed doubts over the “encounter”. The opposition has formed an eight-member panel, including some of its MLAs, to inquire into the matter. D M Awasthi, Special DG, Anti-Naxal Operations, said, “I have written to the Jagdalpur SP on the allegations and have asked him for a report. We will decide the future course of action after the report is filed.”
