On March 31, seven tribals were allegedly killed in an ‘encounter’ in Santoshpur village near Bijapur in Chhattisgarh.

There was no FIR, the killings were not publicised or reported, not even in the local media.

Residents of Ponjer village say the tribals, who the police claim were Sangham members (Naxalite sympathizers), were picked up by members of the Chattisgarh Armed Police and Salwa Judum, taken to nearby Santoshpur, and killed.

They say at least four of them were hacked to death and the rest shot.

The five Ponjer villagers who were killed: Madiyam Fagu, Madiyam Lakhma, Kudiyan Musa, Markam Sanko and Marvi Mangu.

Two others, Kudiuyam Bojha, a former SPO from Santoshpur who had apparently fallen out with the local administration, and an unidentified person were killed.

Two people, Kodia Mura and Podia, have been missing since the incident and villagers fear they have also been killed.

“These were Sangham members and we had gone to these villages to conduct a search mission. There was an encounter and we were forced to act,” says SP Bijapur, Ratan Lal Dangi.

He, however, is unable to explain why the victims were not carrying any weapons.

Home Minister Ram Vichar Netam says he does not know of any such encounter. “I have been out of the city for quite some time and would only be able to provide you with relevant details later,” he says.

Director General of Police O P Rathore, however, admits there was an encounter. “Gujarat ki bimari sab jagah faila rahe hain log. Chhattisgarh Police has a reputation for maintaining human rights. The Naxalites are savages and use such techniques, we are not into such things,” Rathore says. He says that Naxalite sympathizers attacked the search party and they were killed in retaliatory firing.

... contd.