Over 13 years after a Maoist attack on a Congress convoy left 29 people dead in Chhattisgarh's Jhiram Ghati, a special NIA court on Saturday convicted all 10 accused in the case. Two women are among the 10 accused in the case that virtually wiped out the top Congress leadership in the state.
But now, family members of some of the convicts are disputing the allegations of their involvement in the deadly attack.
What the kin of the accused are saying
Family members of convict Joga Markam, also known as Joga Madkami, have spoken out against the judgment, asserting that he was wrongly implicated.
Durjan Markam, the brother of Markam, expressed his frustration over the legal process and the shifting dates for the final verdict.
"My elder brother is Joga Markam. He had no hand in the Jhiram Ghati case incident. They brought him in, saying he carried out such an attack. We were told on August 31 that a decision would be made that day. When we came that day, they said it would be on the 5th. Today, they also say it won't be today; come on the 16th. They are saying like this... what does this mean?" Durjan was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
He further argued that his brother "didn't know how to shoot an arrow or use a gun."
{{/usCountry}}He further argued that his brother "didn't know how to shoot an arrow or use a gun."
{{/usCountry}}Similar claims were made by the kin of Kosa Kavasi. His brother Guddu Kavasi Kosa and Mukka Mandavi were falsely implicated in the case. He claimed Kosa Kavasi was involved in preparations for a family wedding when the attack took place, while Mandavi was also engaged in marriage preparations in the village.
"They were not there at the time of the attack. Those who were involved have surrendered and are living freely, while those who were not involved are paying the price. The families are distressed and shattered," Guddu told HT.
Others convicted in the case are: Pramila Modiyam, Chaitu Lekam, Sumitra Punem Modiyam, Aayata Markam, Madkami Deva, Banjami Sanna and Mahadev Nag.
Who were killed in the attack?
The attack took place on May 25, 2013, when Maoists ambushed the Congress' 'Parivartan Rally' on a national highway in Jhiram Valley under Darbha police station limits in Bastar district. The leaders were going for a rally organised ahead of the Chhattisgarh assembly elections later that year.
Those killed included then-state Congress chief Nand Kumar Patel and his son Dinesh, former leader of Opposition in the assembly Mahendra Karma, former union minister Vidya Charan Shukla, and senior Congress leader and former MLA Uday Mudliyar. However, then chief minister, Amit Jogi, escaped with injuries, HT reported earlier.