Chhattisgarh: 2 Naxalites killed in encounter with security forces in Kanker; families say fake encounter, demand investigation

An encounter took place between the Naxalites and the security forces in Kanker on Saturday. Two Naxalites were found dead and several weapons were recovered from the spot. However, family members of the deceased alleged that they were killed in a fake encounter and claimed that they were simple villagers.

Kanker: Two Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces in Koyalibera of Chhattisgarh's Kanker district on Saturday. When relatives of the deceased reached Kanker police station on Sunday to collect the bodies, they demanded a thorough investigation into the matter claiming it to be a fake encounter.

"The statements of the family members have been taken and an investigation will be conducted," Kanker Superintendent of Police Divyang Patel said.

The suspected Naxalites have been identified as Moda Padda and Kana Vedda. Family members alleged that Moda and Kana were killed by Kanker police under the garb of Naxalites. "The two were simple villagers and not Naxalites. They were residents of Kaknar village under Adnar Panchayat of Orchha block," the relatives said.

Boro Padda, Moda's brother said that police attacked his brother when he was returning from the weekly market. "On Friday, it was evening when my brother was returning to our village from Koyalibera weekly market. My brother spent the night at Punesh Mandavi's house in Gome village. At around 6.30 am on Saturday, he left for the village. On his way home, police intercepted him in the forest area and later it was told that two Naxalites were caught and killed in encounter," Padda said.

The family members, who came to collect the bodies, had also brought the Aadhaar cards of the alleged Naxalites. Police told the family members that the place where the encounter took place has a camp of Naxalites and the latter fled from the spot leaving their belongings behind.

Suklal, another relative of the alleged that the weapons that the Naxalites had left behind before fleeing from the spot, were declared as the weapons of the deceased.

Kana's brother said that there were three to four women along with Moda and Kana. In order to reach Koylibeda market one has to cross the hills. "We usually buy rice from Koyalibera but since rice was not available, my brother was returning home. He spent the night in Gome village and was on his way home the next morning. Police caught him in the forest and killed him by calling him a Naxalite. Also, he had been made to wear a Naxalite uniform," Kana's brother alleged.

Kanker SP Divyang Patel said, "The soldiers had received information about the presence of 20-25 Naxalites in Keskodi village in Gome and its surrounding areas under Koylibeda police station area. When the District Reserve Guards (DRG) reached there, they were ambushed by Naxalites. Following a retaliatory attack, the Naxalites fled from the spot. During the search, bodies of two Naxalites were found and a large number of weapons were recovered from the spot. We have received the complaint of the family members and taken their statements. An investigation will be conducted into the matter," Patel said.

Meanwhile, family members of the alleged Naxalites refused to accept the bodies and have launched a protest. They have demanded a thorough investigation into the matter and the bodies have been kept in the mortuary of the district hospital.