Maoists killed a deputy sarpanch (elected village head) and a teacher from Burkapal village in the insurgency-affected Sukma district of Bastar in Chhattisgarh after a ‘jan adalat’ (people’s court). The two were labeled as police informers and their involvement was alleged in the killing of an alleged Maoist in 2021 and some other police actions later.
The killings come days after a BJP leader, Arjun Kaka, was murdered in Usoor of Bijapur district on June 21.
Deputy sarpanch Madvi Ganga and teacher Kowasi Sukka were abducted by the Maoists on Tuesday night, reportedly with another eight villagers from Burkapal. The bodies of the two were found near the village on Thursday morning. They were apparently beaten to death.
Social organisations and tribal organisations like Sarv Adiwasi Samaj and Koya Samaj had appealed for the release of the deputy sarpanch and the teacher. Some students had also made the appeal. However, these were in vain.
The South Bastar Division Committee of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) claimed responsibility for the killings by issuing a press statement that mentions that a ‘jan adalat’ was held in Tadmetla village in the core Maoist area and people decided to ‘finish off’ Ganga and Sukka.
The note said the ‘fascist’ administration and police were using money to lure some teachers, teacher-grade employees, sarpanchs, panchayat secretaries, unemployed youth and students to become part of ‘informer system’ to eradicate the “party (CPI-M), People’s Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA), people’s organisations and revolutionary people.” These members of the ‘informer system’ were engaged in anti-people activities and thus the responsibility of the “punishment being given to the two (Ganga and Sukka) is that of government, administration and the police’,” it said.
The note ‘appealed’ to the government employees and people’s representatives to condemn the ‘anti-people’ policies and to participate in people’s movement rather than become a part of the ‘backbiting network.’ The eight other villagers abducted from Burkapal were reportedly released by the Maoists with this warning.
‘Civilian killings down to one-fourth in a decade’
The inspector general of police (IG) of Bastar, Sundarraj P., while talking to THE WEEK, said such civilian killings, including that of people’s representatives, is a typical modus operandi and strategy of the Maoists to show their might while their area of influence was shrinking rapidly.
The IG said upset by the development activities and those playing a role in these, the Maoists select them as soft targets and label them falsely as police informers. “The deputy sarpanch was taking a lot of initiatives to bring positivity in the area by bringing in developmental works. This irritates the Maoists who want to keep people cut off from the development process. Similarly, the teacher (a Shiksa Doot award winner for excellence in teaching initiatives) was an educated man who counseled the local people in the right direction. This did not go well with the Maoists.”
Sundarraj further said the number of civilian killings has, however, declined drastically over the past decade. “Compared to 2013 when they would kill around 115-120 civilians, including people’s representatives, every year, the number came down to 34 in 2022. So, during the past few years, the average has come down to 30-35. Yet it is a very disturbing trend, but we expect it will continue for only about two more years by which time we will take control of more areas and root the Maoists out.”
The IG said the forces have penetrated effectively into the core insurgency areas and in the past four years about 63 security camps have been opened in the area that has blocked the safe corridors of the Maoists. “They are losing ground and this is what is irritating them and they continue to pick soft targets,” Sundarraj said.
The killings come days after a BJP leader, Arjun Kaka, was murdered in Usoor of Bijapur district on June 21.
Deputy sarpanch Madvi Ganga and teacher Kowasi Sukka were abducted by the Maoists on Tuesday night, reportedly with another eight villagers from Burkapal. The bodies of the two were found near the village on Thursday morning. They were apparently beaten to death.
Social organisations and tribal organisations like Sarv Adiwasi Samaj and Koya Samaj had appealed for the release of the deputy sarpanch and the teacher. Some students had also made the appeal. However, these were in vain.
The South Bastar Division Committee of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) claimed responsibility for the killings by issuing a press statement that mentions that a ‘jan adalat’ was held in Tadmetla village in the core Maoist area and people decided to ‘finish off’ Ganga and Sukka.
The note said the ‘fascist’ administration and police were using money to lure some teachers, teacher-grade employees, sarpanchs, panchayat secretaries, unemployed youth and students to become part of ‘informer system’ to eradicate the “party (CPI-M), People’s Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA), people’s organisations and revolutionary people.” These members of the ‘informer system’ were engaged in anti-people activities and thus the responsibility of the “punishment being given to the two (Ganga and Sukka) is that of government, administration and the police’,” it said.
The note ‘appealed’ to the government employees and people’s representatives to condemn the ‘anti-people’ policies and to participate in people’s movement rather than become a part of the ‘backbiting network.’ The eight other villagers abducted from Burkapal were reportedly released by the Maoists with this warning.
‘Civilian killings down to one-fourth in a decade’
The inspector general of police (IG) of Bastar, Sundarraj P., while talking to THE WEEK, said such civilian killings, including that of people’s representatives, is a typical modus operandi and strategy of the Maoists to show their might while their area of influence was shrinking rapidly.
The IG said upset by the development activities and those playing a role in these, the Maoists select them as soft targets and label them falsely as police informers. “The deputy sarpanch was taking a lot of initiatives to bring positivity in the area by bringing in developmental works. This irritates the Maoists who want to keep people cut off from the development process. Similarly, the teacher (a Shiksa Doot award winner for excellence in teaching initiatives) was an educated man who counseled the local people in the right direction. This did not go well with the Maoists.”
Sundarraj further said the number of civilian killings has, however, declined drastically over the past decade. “Compared to 2013 when they would kill around 115-120 civilians, including people’s representatives, every year, the number came down to 34 in 2022. So, during the past few years, the average has come down to 30-35. Yet it is a very disturbing trend, but we expect it will continue for only about two more years by which time we will take control of more areas and root the Maoists out.”
The IG said the forces have penetrated effectively into the core insurgency areas and in the past four years about 63 security camps have been opened in the area that has blocked the safe corridors of the Maoists. “They are losing ground and this is what is irritating them and they continue to pick soft targets,” Sundarraj said.
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