Activists stopped from visiting Sukma villages: Bela Bhatia

The activists alleged that they were stopped and harassed by the security forces but the Bastar police insisted that no one was harassed and the team was stopped because of Maoist threat perception

Sixteen human rights activists affiliated with the Coordination of Democratic Rights Organisations (CRDO) were stopped by the security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Maoist-hit Sukma when they were on a fact-finding mission on various instances of alleged human rights violations in Sukma and Bijapur districts in the Bastar region.

Human rights activist Bela Bhatia. (File Photo)

The activists alleged that they were stopped and harassed by the security forces in Dornapal, Sukma. However, the Bastar police claimed that no one was harassed and the team was stopped because of Maoist threat perception.

The activists said they were trying to reach the locations of last month’s alleged aerial attacks as well as the Silger village where a protest against the formation of a new Central Reserve Police Force) (CRPF) camp on a private land led to police firing and killing of three villagers in May 2021.

On January 12, Maoists in a statement had alleged that security personnel had carried out aerial strikes on villages in Sukma and Bijapur district, a claim which was refuted by the Chhattisgarh police who said that it was an attempt of Maoists to mislead locals since they are losing their hold in the said districts.

Human rights activist working in the region, Bela Bhatia, who was part of the team, said they reached Dornapal on Wednesday night and the police told them that they would not be allowed to go inside the villages. She said the activists also faced problems for food and night shelter after the police interventions.

“Why was the team stopped if the government has nothing to hide? If these instances of aerial strikes are true, the Centre and the state stand accused of gross violation of international law,” she said.

However, inspector general (IG) of police, Bastar range, Sunderaj P said the team was stopped because of threat perception.

“We learned about the movement of a group of people from Telangana/Andhra Pradesh region to interior areas of South Bastar region. This group was accompanied by a couple of local persons also. When they reached near the security check posts along Dornapal-Jagargunda road, as per the security protocol they were informed about the threat perception in the naxal-affected areas due to IEDs planted by Maoists,” said the IG.

He further said that after receiving this input the group took a decision not to further venture into the area.

“None of them were neither detained nor subjected to any sort of harassment,” said the IG.