Apr 17, 2011

The  use of excessive force and mutinous resistance by Special Police Officers (SPOs) in Chhattisgarh the State most infested by Naxal violence has led to a new challenge for the government.  Sulwa Judum activists, Police and SPOs are alleged to have burnt 300 houses and killed five people, molested and raped women in three of the worst affected villages in Dantewada. The policemen also blocked civil administration, journalists and human rights activists from visiting the area. Journalists visiting the site clandestinely published reports and pictures of mob fury of Salwa Judum leaders and police in these acts on 23 March in the Hindu and Patrika of homes reduced to ashes in three villages, Tadmetla, Morepalli, and Teemapuram. Tadmetla is the village where the Naxalite had massacred 76 security personnel on April 6 last year. Villagers testified that SPOs burnt down nearly 300 homes, sexually assaulted three women and killed five men between March 11 and 16 in the garb of a week long security operation against the Maoists, which left three policemen dead.

Social Activist Swami Agnivesh and a fact-finding team of the Congress who went to the area to investigate and assuage the locals were prevented from reaching the site. Swami Agnivesh moved after phoning Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh but was physically obstructed and abused by a crowd at Dornapal town, roughly 50 kilometres short of the villages.  The District collector R Prasanna who set off for the villages on 24 March along with Bastar commissioner K Sreenivasulu was also harassed by SPOs. "The police said the food and relief would be cornered by Maoists, but the administration did not share this view. It felt it was important to reach out to the tribals,'' said an official in Raipur. 

The State has been helpless and has only been able to transfer the district police chief S R P Kalluri and collector R Prasanna. Meanwhile there is also a pending application in the Supreme Court of India which is seeking confirmation of disbandment of the Sulwa Judum as well as the SPOs in districts of Bastar, Narainpur, Dantewada and Bijapur. Thus the State government is likely to come under more pressure in the days ahead.

The escalation of violence against villagers in the Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh reflects a division between those who support Maoists and other tribals who had formed the Sulwa Judum. This is likely to be set back to ongoing anti Naxal operations in the state. While it is alleged that elements of SPOs who had been under attack by the Maoists and known as Koya commandos were behind the massacre and burning of villages in the State, there are also concerns that they are denying human rights activists as well as political parties from reaching the spot. The State government has taken some administrative action by dismissing the police and the civil administration officials; it would have to show greater resolve to control the SPOs who are clearly operating beyond the law. The issue is also likely to assume political overtones now that the opposition Congress leaders have been banned from moving to the area. With the security forces expecting the Maoists presence in the area this was no doubt a wise move, but accusations would have to be responded to by the State government for if there have been atrocities these would have to be answered.