Maoists release 11 people from captivity in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma

On July 18, Maoists abducted seven men. A day later, four residents of their village went into a jungle to talk to Maoists for the release of seven and they too did not return

Raipur: Eleven people who had gone missing from a village in Chhattisgarh’s insurgency-hit Sukma district a couple of days ago, were abducted by Maoists and released on Tuesday, police said on Wednesday.

Representational Image.

The villagers were allegedly warned against supporting police and developmental works by the rebels, they added.

“After the intervention and pressure of the media and local tribal leaders, the Maoists released the villagers who had reached their village Kunded, on Tuesday night. All of them are safe,” inspector general of police (IGP) (Bastar range) Sunderaj P said.

The IGP added that the statement of the 11 villagers will be recorded to ascertain the reason behind their abduction.

According to Sunderaj P, seven persons had initially gone missing after attending a social gathering on July 18. A day later, four others, including a village head, had reportedly gone to hold talks with the rebels on the abduction but did not return.

According to people familiar with the matter, the rebels suspected the seven villagers had appeared for a police recruitment test, and hence, may have taken them into captivity.

Located in the southern tip of Chhattisgarh bordering Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, Sukma district is part of the 1,200 sq km belt in Chhattisgarh that is considered to be a stronghold of the Maoist movement. For years, the authorities have been trying to execute development projects in these areas but often face resistance from the Maoists.