Maoists threat to public representatives and journalist in Dantewada: Police | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
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Maoists threat to public representatives and journalist in Dantewada: Police

Hindustan Times, Raipur/Bastar | ByRitesh Mishra and S Kareemuddin | Edited by Sparshita Saxena
Jul 30, 2020 02:25 PM IST

Maoists are fast losing grip over the villagers in the area and as a result, there is growing frustration among them, Abhishek Pallava, Superintendent of Police, Dantewada, said.

Dantewada police claimed there is a threat from Maoists to a few public representatives and a journalist . “Through our sources and interrogation of arrested and surrendered Maoists, there is credible intelligence regarding a threat to a few contractors and a media personnel of Kirandul area. Maoists are holding them responsible for supporting new private mining parties in the area,” Superintendent of Police (SP) Abhishek Pallava told HT.

Image for representation.(AP file photo)
Image for representation.(AP file photo)

“I have been informed by the senior police officials about the threat from the Maoists... I have always reported facts..” said the journalist who preferred not to be named.

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“Maoists have incurred severe casualties in the past few years in Kirandul area and many local boys and girls have been recruited from the region in the police. Therefore, Maoists are fast losing grip over the villagers in the area and as a result, there is growing frustration across all ranks of Maoists. Thus, senior Maoists are trying to find scapegoats, turning blame to them for their failures,” the SP added.

Meanwhile, Prabhat Singh, a journalist based in Dantewada district alleged that police launched a surveillance against him and his family for unknown reasons.

“For last one week, the police and surrendered Maoists of Barsoor police station are collecting information about my family from other family members and neighbours. The police are asking for the bank account number and information related to my seven-year-old daughter’s education,” said Singh.

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He further claimed that he has written a letter to the chief minister and provided all the details about his assets.

“I urge the chief minister to stop this surveillance because my family is in fear,” said Singh. Reacting to the allegation, SP Dantewada said that Prabhat’s allegations are baseless.

“Neither Prabhat Singh nor his family members have been questioned by police officers. No discomfort has ever been caused to him. Barsoor is a hypersensitive Maoists affected area, police, therefore, keeps collecting sensitive information to strengthen human intelligence. Allegations of keeping Singh and his family members under surveillance is wrong and without substance,” Pallava said.

In 2016, four journalists — Santosh Yadav, Somaru Nag, Prabhat Singh and Deepak Jaiswal — were arrested on politically motivated charges by Bastar Police.

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