A total of 34 civilians have been killed by Maoists while as many as 137 cadres of the banned group CPI Maoist have been neutralised in separate counter-insurgency operation launched by security forces in the last six months in the State of Chhattisgarh, informed Deputy Chief Minister, Vijay Sharma on Wednesday, July 24.
Dy CM Sharma disclosed these details while replying to a query raised by former union minister and incumbent Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Chhattisgarh assembly, Charan Das Mahant. When enquired about the number of Maoists arrested during the period, Dy CM Sharma who also oversee the home portfolio informed that a total of 401 Maoists have so far arrested by the police.
The Home minister further disclosed that those killed in the encounters includes of two State Zonal Committee Members carrying a reward of Rs25 lakh each, Six Divisional Committee Members each carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakh, thirteen Company members, Company deputy commander, one Company sniper commander and one member of Small Action Team, all carrying a reward of Rs8 lakh each.
In all a total of 273 Maoist related incident have been registered in the State during the span of the last six months including 92 instances of direct confrontation between the forces and the Maoist cadres in which 19 soldiers attained martyrdom while 88 sustained injuries, added Sharma.
In terms of civilian killings, Sharma informed the house that 24 out of the 34 civilians killed by the terror group were executed on alleged charges of being informers while one civilian causality has been reported in the Maoist’s firing. In addition to this four people have been executed in the self-styled Jan Adalat being carried out by the outlawed group in the areas of their dominance.
Row over Pedia encounter and Bharmar guns
Though soon the leaders of the Congress party started sloganeering in the house questioning the authenticity of the encounters like Pedia and Bharmar rifles (Muzzle loading firearms) seized from the Maoists.
Pointing fingers on the Pedia encounters, Congress MLA from Bijapur, Vikram Mandavi once again reiterated the party’s stand that a few of those killed in the encounters were innocent villagers to which the Dy CM replied instantly with details of the cases registered against a few of those killed in the encounter, asserting that cases against a few of them were registered at the time of the Congress government itself.
Read more at: Row erupts over Bijapur encounter as Congress forms committee, BJP slams move to question security forces
However, moments later another MLA from the Congress party, Kawasi Lakhma while reiterating the allegations said that those plucking Tendupatta leaves were killed. Lakhma’s remarks does not boded well with the Dy CM and other leaders of the BJP leading to heated exchange of words between the Congress and the BJP lawmakers.
जो पीडिया मुठभेड़ का मसला था। इसमें नक्सलियों के नाम हैं उनके खिलाफ पिछली कांग्रेस सरकार में ही अपराध दर्ज थे तब 2021 में भा.ज.पा. की सरकार नहीं थी, कांग्रेस की ही सरकार थी। कुछ नक्सलियों पर 2022 में अपहरण और बाद में यू.ए.पी.ए. और धारा 307 के प्रकरण दर्ज हुए।
मैं कांग्रेस… pic.twitter.com/D9adw8iQa3
— Vijay sharma (@vijaysharmacg) July 25, 2024
Taking to X, Dy CM Sharma in a series of post later asserted that “the statement made by the Bastar’s MLA, Kawasi Lakhama was absolutely wrong”. He further emphasised that the Naxaities (Maoists) whose names are mentioned in Pedia encounter were booked in the previous Congress government in 2021 while some of them were booked in 2022 on charges of abduction, later cases of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act were also registered against them, said Sharma.
I would like to request the Congress MLA that at least do not break the morale of security forces by making such allegations, added Dy CM Sharma.
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