The outlawed CPI(Maoist) on Saturday alleged atrocities by security forces on tribals during the last week’s anti-Naxal operations in Abujhmad, a densely forested area extending from south Bastar in Chhattisgarh to Gadchiroli in Maharashtra.
The North-Bastar Divisional Committee (NBDC) in a statement issued to different media organisations here alleged that security forces had unleashed reign of terror against tribals in Abujhmad, said to be the Maoist capital, under the pretext of the anti-Naxal operations in March 13-18, assaulting scores of innocent tribals, leading to death of one of them, torching their houses and looting their foodgrains.
The outfit alleged that tribals in the villages of Godelmarka, Ikonor, Jetwaya, Podenar, and Toke particularly suffered the most due to the excesses by the forces.
The statement alleged that one Durga was lynched while another tribal Jaini Gotta was injured in the police firing in the village of Toke.
Similarly, the police tortures left Boe, Raju, Pali, Malu and Mangi seriously hurt in Kechhapal village.
The outfit further alleged that Sonu Podadi, and Bekte Bodde, residents of Ikonor and Lalsu Bodde, and Bitiya Bodde, inhabitants of Godel Marka, and Dadama Karu, from Kodenar were arrested during the period. However, they were not yet produced before the court. “Security forces have launched anti-Maoist operations in Abujhmad to pave way for the Army to set up training centres in the area,” the statement charged. The anti-Maoist operations, conducted under the code name, “Operation Haka” (meaning driving out the wild animals in tribal Gondi language), were launched simultaneously in more than one dozen villages of Narayanpur and Bijapur districts of Chhattisgarh and Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra, in which around 3000 jawans of CRPF, CoBRA battalion and the police forces of the two states participated.