Judicial panel presents report in Chhattisgarh assembly on Tadmetla, Timmapuram encounters

The report of the Judicial Inquiry Commission into the Tadmetla and Timmapuram encounters between police and Naxalites was presented in the Chhattisgarh assembly constituency on Wednesday. A one-member commission, headed by Justice TP Sharma, investigated both the encounters and cases of arson.

Raipur:The report of the Judicial Inquiry Commission into the Tadmetla and Timmapuram encounters between police and Naxalites was presented in the Chhattisgarh assembly constituency on Wednesday. A one-member commission, headed by Justice TP Sharma, investigated both the encounters and cases of arson.

The 511-page report by the commission highlighted that encounters broke out between the police and Naxalites in various phases in Timmapuram. It further stated that the arson was caused due to exchange of firepower from both sides.

"In the encounter, shots were fired from both sides and shells too were fired. The Naxalites were overwhelming the police force in the encounter. The ammunition of the police force was also exhausted. After this the Korba Battalion and the CRPF force came forward to assist," the report noted, highlighting that three police personnel and one insurgent were killed in the process.

The commission informed that a total of 59 houses had been burnt during the Timmapuram encounters, wherein one house at the edge of the village was burnt by the police firing a grenade from a UBGL (Under-Barrel Grenade Launcher).

In Tadmetla, a similar encounter took place on March 16, 2011, leading to fire engulfing 160 houses in the village. Notably, the report said there was no evidence as to who burnt the houses.

Significantly, the commission gave a clean chit to then IG SRP Kalluri, who has remained a controversial figure in the entire fiasco.

"On 26 March 2011, Swami Agnivesh went to Dornapal twice to go to Tadmetla in the morning and in the afternoon. There he was opposed by the crowd. A criminal case was registered in this regard. The investigation is being done by CBI," it said in the report.

The social activist, belonging to Arya Sabha, an organization modelled after the Arya Samaj, had faced vehement opposition from the crowd while on his way to Tadmetla from Sukma after receiving news regarding burning of houses in the police-Naxal encounter. As per media reports, Agnivesh had been dragged out of his vehicle, pushed around, eggs were thrown at him, and ultimately was forced to go back.