Chhattisgarh Congress to probe Naxal killings in joint operations

NEW DELHI: The Congress in Chhattisgarh set up a team on Saturday to probe the killing of 19 suspected Maoists in joint operations by the CRPF and state police in Bijapur and Sukma districts in the past two days. The Maoists condemned the killings and called a bandh in protest on July 5.
The 12-member probe team of the Congress is headed by its MLA from Konta, Kawasi Lakma.Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress chief Nand Kumar Patel told TOI, "We received reports that there were only four-five Maoists among the 19 killed in the encounters by joint forces on Friday. Several school children are also reported to be killed in the operation.” The 'shabby way” the state government handled the issue raised suspicion about excesses committed by security forces on "innocent tribal people”, said Patel. "It is surprising that after such an incident, the chief minister has not made any official statement,” he said.
Lakma reached Bijapur on Saturday. "We will begin our fact-finding from tomorrow and submit our report by July 5.” Senior police officers in Chhattisgarh though denied innocent tribals were killed in the joint forces operation. There were six Maoists, including Markam Suresh involved in Dantewada jailbreak, among those killed, claimed a senior officer.