A day after 3 die in police firing in Sukma, villagers say their ‘protest was peaceful’

A day after three people died in police firing outside a newly established camp in Chhatisgarh’s Sukma district where local were protesting, the villagers alleged that they were staging a peaceful protest but police opened fire to end it, HT has learnt

A day after three people died in police firing outside a newly established camp in Chhatisgarh’s Sukma district where local were protesting, the villagers alleged that they were staging a peaceful protest but police opened fire to end it, HT has learnt.

A day after 3 die in police firing in Sukma, villagers say their ‘protest was peaceful’

“Our only fault is we don’t want a police camp and therefore we were protesting it. When the police were not able to end the protest, they opened fire killing three people. Six villagers are still missing. Those who are killed are Uika Pandu from Teemapura, Bheema Ursam who hails from Gundam, and Kawasi Waga from Sudwa village. At least 18 people are injured with bullet injuries,” said Rahul Madvi, a villager, while talking to the local media.

The locals claimed that three villagers died in Monday’s firing while six are missing and 18 got injured. However, the police claimed that they are yet to identify the deceased and injured.

Meanwhile, human rights activists and tribal leaders of Bastar demanded strict action against the officers who ordered firing on Monday and a high-level probe into the matter.

Madvi claimed that all three who died were farmers and not Maoists.

“The whole thing started when policemen started beating people with lathis and they started running behind. Suddenly, some heard firing and then entered the forest... Later, three were found dead. Since the protest started, they were beating us with lathis,” said another villager, who did not wish to be named.

On May 14, villagers from around 10-12 villages began their agitation against the Silger police camp which became operational on May 12.

“We don’t want police camps here, instead we want schools, doctors and other basic things. As soon as the camp opens the tribals are tortured and booked under false cases. In coming days, we will be falsely implicated in Maoist cases and would be sent to jail,” said Nandaram Markam, a villager.

Bela Bhatia, a human rights activist working in the Bastar region, demanded an enquiry and FIR against the officers who ordered the firing on villagers.

“The police and security forces in Bastar are forgetting that they are accountable to the citizens. If the higher officials in the police hierarchy cover up their subordinates’ crimes, shouldn’t they also be seen to be complicit? What has occurred is very serious. An impartial enquiry should be conducted as soon as possible and FIRs should be lodged against those responsible for the order and action,” said Bhatia.

Inspector-General of Police, Bastar Range, Sunderaj P, refuted the allegations and claimed that Maoists were taking the villagers as their shield during the protest.

“This was a Maoist-compelled protest against the police camp because they don’t want camp in their core area. The protest ended on Sunday night but the Maoists forced the innocent villagers to return on Monday,” said Suderaj claiming that the identification of the deceased is underway but the police have reasons to believe that they were Janmilitia members of CPI (Maoists).

Denying the claims of police assault, the IG said that first aggression and fire came from the Maoists of Jagargunda and Pamed Area Committee who were hiding among the villagers and the police was forced to fire in return.

The Silgar camp is located eight to ten kilometres away from the site of the Maoist attack that took place on April 3 in Sukma district where 22 security personnel were killed.

Tribal leader Soni Sori said that the opening of camps amid the pandemic is not justified both for the tribals and the security forces.

“I will comment over the exchange of fire only after meeting the villagers but there is no need of camps in Bastar now,” said Sori.