The Hindu : Front Page : Naxalites kill 13 villagers in Chhattisgarh

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 26, 2006

Front Page

Front Page

Naxalites kill 13 villagers in Chhattisgarh

Bid to terrorise villagers, stop anti-naxal campaign

JAGDALPUR: In stepped-up violence, 13 villagers were killed and four injured on Friday when CPI (Maoist) naxalites triggered a landmine at Godha village, about 12 km from Pakhanjur, in Kanker district of Chhattisgarh.

Police sources said the victims, mostly local traders, were returning to Pakhanjur from a weekly market when the naxalites blew up their jeep.

The attack comes about a month after an incident where two trucks carrying tribals were ambushed by the ultras in Dantewada district killing 26 villagers and injuring over 50.

Pradeep Gupta, District Superintendent of Police, Kanker, said the bodies of the victims were lying scattered at the blast site and that three seriously injured persons had been referred to the medical college hospital in Raipur.

M.W. Ansari, Inspector-General of Police, Bastar Range, told UNI that the blast seemed to be aimed at terrorising the villagers to ensure that the anti-naxal campaign, "Salwa Judum," now focussed in Dantewada district, did not spread to other areas of the Bastar region.

Combing operations

Mr. Ansari said paramilitary forces had been sent to carry out combing operations.

State Home Minister Ramvichar Netam visited the spot and announced Rs. 2 lakh ex-gratia to the family members of each of the deceased besides Rs. 10,000 each for performing the last rites.

Earlier, Mr. Netam, who came along with Director-General of Police, O.P. Rathore, had to confront angry villagers, who raised slogans against the Government.— UNI

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