Jogi demands independent probe

Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi has demanded an independent probe by a sitting High Court judge or the CBI into the March 31 "encounter" in which seven tribals were allegedly killed by security personnel in Bijapur.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Jogi said there has been a spurt in such encounters since the launch of Salwa Judum, an anti-Naxalite movement in south Bastar in June, 2005. "There is an urgent need to establish through an independent inquiry whether any Chhattisgarh policemen or Salwa Judum activists were involved in the massacre as has been alleged by tribals in Ponjer village," the former Chief Minister added.

He said though a departmental inquiry has been constituted by the Chhattisgarh Police, it isn't expected to be of much help as an impartial approach in the conduct of any police officer could not be expected.

"The government should immediately order a magisterial or judicial inquiry into the incident. When the extra-judicial killing of one person in Gujarat can lead to the arrest of three IPS officers, why is the Raman Singh government not reacting to seven deaths?" he asked.

The former Chief Minister stated that he will also request Congress chief Sonia Gandhi to send a fact-finding team to the area.

On March 31, seven tribals were allegedly killed in an "encounter" in Santoshpur village near Bijapur in Chhattisgarh. Residents of Ponjer village said the tribals, who the police claimed were Sangham members (Naxalite sympathisers), were picked up by members of the Chhattisgarh Armed Police and Salwa Judum, taken to nearby Santoshpur, and killed. They alleged that at least four of them were hacked to death and the rest shot.

After The Indian Express reported about the alleged fake encounter, Director General of Police O P Rathore instituted a departmental inquiry under Inspector General (Bastar Range) R K Vij.

(source: indian express may 8, 2007)