The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Naxal violence: fear stalks villages

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Monday, Nov 05, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Naxal violence: fear stalks villages

D. Chandra Bhaskar Rao

Fearing backlash from police, tribal families desert their homes in Pamedu

Many non-tribal youths too summoned for questioning by police
Families may not return for many weeks unless assured of no harm by the police

PAMEDU ( CHATTISGARH): Fear stalks Pamedu, where 11 police personnel were gunned down by the young cadres of CPI Maoists and their militant following. A cluster of tribal habitations in the vicinity were deserted overnight. Hundreds of the tribal families, in anticipation of a backlash, made a beeline to villages in the neighbouring pockets of Andhra Pradesh. Many others vanished, obviously by taking shelter in the Maoists’ camps.

Many questioned

Pamedu is just not the same place to live in. The Police, enraged with the killing of their colleagues, questioned many suspected to have links with the Maoist cadres operating in the area. Some 200 people were huddled together and made to sit in front of the police station. Young constables were in for shock knowing that some of their friends were shot in the head and were sobbing uncontrollably.

There were many non-tribal youths in the crowd that was summoned to the station. They were in fact asked to stay overnight with the bodies lying some 6 km away from the station. “The police had been good to us so far. But we do not know what is in store for us. Hurt and angry, the young constables could unleash terror,” says Mohan, a youth.

Killing field

Togugudem, a Moriya habitation in the vicinity just half a kilometre from the place of the killings, had no one left to answer the police. All the 40 families moved away with their young and old leaving behind a herd of cattle to graze around. They may not return for many weeks unless they were assured of no harm by the police or complete protection by Maoist cadres. The very jungle stretch that provides passage to this part of Bijapur district is viewed as a killing field. A Koya leader Katam Devaiah was killed by the Moriya tribes loyal to Maoists on April 25 last. Another tribal Lingaiah was also done to death by the naxalites in a similar way in the same stretch of forests.

“We are here just for the sake of people and to protect their lives without viewing the stint here as a punishment,” says the 54-year-old G. P. Yadav, station house officer of Pamedu. He is equally worried about the whereabouts of his predecessor R. B. Singh, whom he had just relieved. Mr. Singh left for Bijapur four days ago, but his whereabouts are still not known.

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