Activists alleged Maoist killings staged; Chhattisgarh police dismiss claim

Telangana civil rights association also claimed that several other senior Maoist leaders remain in police custody and are at risk of being killed similarly

Raipur: Civil rights activists and the Telangana civil rights association on Saturday alleged that Chhattisgarh police had taken Maoist leaders into custody in Bijapur and were killing them one by one in staged encounters. Police, however, dismissed the allegations, stating that all actions were lawful and carried out in strict accordance with operational protocols.

The civil rights body has demanded that they be immediately produced before a magistrate and has called for a ceasefire and peace talks with the Maoists

This comes after the security forces killed senior leader of the banned CPI (Maoist) and a Central Committee member (CCM) Sudhakar in an encounter in the forests of Bijapur, and top Maoist leader Bhaskar in the Indravati National Park area in Bijapur on Thursday — two weeks after they gunned CPI (Maoist) general secretary Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju was gunned down in Narayanpur.

A statement issued by the Telangana civil rights association on Saturday said that senior Maoist leaders, including CPI (Maoist) Central Committee member Sudhakar and Telangana State Committee member Mailarapu Adelu alias Bhaskar, were in police custody before being killed in staged encounters on Thursday and Friday respectively in the Indravati National Park area.

Calling the allegation “baseless”, inspector general (IG) of police of Bastar Range Sunderraj P said, “In strict adherence to the constitutional mandate and legal framework of the Republic of India, the security forces remain committed to safeguarding the lives, rights and properties of the native population in the region. All operational activities are conducted in accordance with the provisions of law, ensuring due process, restraint, and accountability at every stage.”

The association also claimed that several other senior Maoist leaders — including Bandi Prakash, Indravati National Park area secretary Dilip, Maddeedu area secretary Seetu, Ramanna, Munna, Sunitha, Mahesh, and around ten others — remain in police custody and are at risk of being killed similarly.

The civil rights body has demanded that they be immediately produced before a magistrate and has called for a ceasefire and peace talks with the Maoists.

Telangana civil rights association president Lakshman Gaddam said that multiple of his sources claimed that Maoist leaders are in custody of the Chhattisgarh police. “We demand they should be produced before the court,” Gaddam said.

“On Friday night I heard that a Maoist on the run had called a human rights organisation in Telangana and informed that the police had caught 20 Maoists including himself from a village in the Indravati National Park area of Bijapur district. But he had managed to escape,” Bastar-based civil rights activist Bela Bhatia said, adding that Sudhakar and Bhaskar, who the police had claimed were killed in encounter, were part of the group.

“Bandi Prakash, Dilip, Seetu, Ramanna, Munna, Sunita, Mahesh and ten others were still in custody,” Bhatia added.

Responding to the allegations, the IG further said, “Any actions undertaken by the security forces during the course of operations are fully compliant with legal norms, standing operational procedures (SOPs), and the principles enshrined in the Constitution,” and warned against the spread of “unsubstantiated allegations, misinformation, or speculative narratives.”

The operation in the National Park area is underway, and the police have recovered bodies and arms, people aware of the matter said.