Chhattisgarh: Rights groups allege illegal arrests, killing of tribals by police

A group of human rights organisations, including the Campaign for Peace and Justice in Chhattisgarh (CPJC), Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan (CBA), and the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), have accused the Chhattisgarh Police of illegal arrests, kidnappings, and killings of tribal villagers between November 7 and 8 in Bijapur district under the guise of anti-Naxal operations– an allegation the police have refuted as “baseless” and “misleading.”
A press note issued by the rights organisations, dated November 12, claimed that on November 8, eight members of the Adivasi Bachao Manch’s Nambidhara Movement Unit were reportedly detained by security forces in Gundiraguda village while en route to Kondapalli to participate in protests against a newly established security camp.
In addition, villagers from nine other villages were also rounded up. As per local reports, 44 villagers, including 14 from Marudbaka, 22 from Rekhapalli, and smaller groups from Tumirguda, Singanpalli, and Kamalapur, were forcibly detained, the press note stated.
Among those detained, seven members of Adivasi Bachao Manch and 18 villagers remain in custody, with no information provided to their families. This lack of transparency and prolonged detention has raised fears of mistreatment, it added.
Later, the operation on November 8 also led to the deaths of two youths– Hidma Podium, a 16-year-old minor from Marudbaka, and Joga Kunjam, a 20-year-old from Rekhapalli, it said.
“Villagers allege the two were dragged out of their homes and shot by security forces. While the Bijapur police claimed the deaths were part of an anti-Naxal operation, they identified only one deceased as a Maoist and provided no information about the others killed,” the statement claimed.
The rights organisations have demanded that all detained members of the Adivasi Bachao Manch and villagers must be released, and harassment of peaceful protesters should stop.
“A transparent probe into alleged fake encounters, including the killings of Hidma Podium and Joga Kunjam, must be conducted, and those responsible held accountable,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, the inspector general of police, Bastar range, Sunderaj P said that these allegations are baseless.
“In the last eight to ten months, the illegal and banned CPI (Maoist) have suffered huge setbacks in terms of loss of senior cadres and weapons. They are also losing their strong hold areas in a rapid phase like never before. The native population have distanced themselves from the Maoist cadres and their cruel acts. Frustrated by this reality, the CPI (Maoist) are carrying out desperate attempts to puncture the credibility of police action,” the IG said.
He further said that the native population is smart enough to understand the conspiracy theories of Maoists and their support system.
“We once again make an appeal to the Maoists to shun violence and join the social mainstream. Also, we would like to appeal to the Civil societies and forums to be aware of the fabricated narratives of the Maoists formations,” the IG added.