Indian Tribal News Service
Raipur
In the last few days, scores of tribals have been staging a protest on the Bijapur-Sukma district border protesting against the alleged drone strike against the Maoists by the security forces and demanding a probe into the matter.
While many tribals staged a protest against the air raid near Bodkel village in a forest region on April 27, scores others from a dozen-odd villages joined them a couple of days later to intensify the protest.
Asserting that the security forces had indeed carried out an attack through drones in the forest areas around their villages, local residents showed the metal shards collected by them. They claimed they were parts of bombs dropped from drones at several places.
The protesters even raised slogans against the local Konta MP Kawasi Lakhma accusing him of overlooking the interests of the local people.
Bastar range IG Sunderraj P, however, denied the allegations, saying: “It is part of the propaganda by the Maoist leadership to mislead the local population with an unrealistic hope of regaining their lost ground in Dandakaranya. The reality is that due to their own inhuman and anti-development actions, the Naxals have become unpopular among the native population and are on the verge of extinction.”
“In Bastar, like the rest of the country, security forces are involved in protecting life and property. The Maoists are trying to malign our image out of desperation at losing ground. Their leaders, all outsiders, are misusing tribal people. It is time people see their real, violent faces,” IG Sunderraj said
The Maoists issued a press statement, accusing the security forces of using drones to drop bombs on their hideouts in Pamed in south Bastar. The Naxals said at least 50 places were bombarded by the forces.
For their part, some civil society groups have demanded the Centre and the Chhattisgarh government to come out with the truth.
