Naxal violence claims 384 lives till September 2007: Report

A new report by the Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) said that at least 384 people, including 129 civilians, 162 security forces and 93 alleged Naxalites, were killed in Naxal conflict during the period of January to September 2007.

New Delhi, Oct 3 : A new report by the Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) said that at least 384 people, including 129 civilians, 162 security forces and 93 alleged Naxalites, were killed in Naxal conflict during the period of January to September 2007.

In its latest quarterly briefing paper, "The Naxals get lethal", released here today, the ACHR said the highest number of killings were reported from Chhattisgarh (208), followed by Andhra Pradesh (59), Jharkhand (44) and Bihar (28).

"Chhattisgarh accounted for 54 percent of the total killings as a direct consequence of the Salwa Judum campaign which made Chhattisgarg the epicentre of the Naxal conflict," said Suhas Chakma, Director of ACHR.

The report says that Naxals are increasingly getting more lethal. It is not only the powerful landmine blast targeting former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Janardhan Reddy on September 7, but the killing of 24 security personnel, including 16 Central Reserve Police Force personnel on July 10 in the forests of Elampatti-Regadgatta in Dantewada district, and the killing of 15 security personnel near Taadmetla under Dornapal police station of Chhattisgarh on August 29 bear testimonies to the increasing lethal power of the Naxals.

It further says that though security forces identify all those killed by them as "Naxalites", there have been allegations of fake encounter killings. Even the Congress, the Communist Party of India, Dalit Sangarsh Samiti, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, All India Trade Union Congress and Indian National Trade Union Congress stated that the five alleged Maoists who were killed by the security forces near Menasinahadya village under Narasimharajapura police station in Chikmagalur district of Karnataka on July 10 were innocent.

"The incidents such as the alleged rape of 11 tribal women by the Andhra Pradesh Police at Vakapalli village under Nurmati panchayat in Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh on August 20 and unwillingness of the State authorities to establish justice provide fodder to the Naxal conflict," Chakma added.

The Naxalites were also responsible for gross violations of international humanitarian laws, including torture, mutilation, hostage taking and killings after trials in Kangaroo courts, the Jan Adalats.

ANI