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Sukma Attack Was A Retaliation Against Sexual Atrocities On Tribal Women In Chhattisgarh, Claim Maoists

"These attacks are being carried out to liberate the tribal people."
Sukma Martyr CRPF ASI Naresh Kumar's terrestrial body carried by CRPF personnel at his native village Jainpur Tikola.
Hindustan Times via Getty Images
Sukma Martyr CRPF ASI Naresh Kumar's terrestrial body carried by CRPF personnel at his native village Jainpur Tikola.

Days after the Sukma attack, Maoists have claimed that it was in retaliation to the alleged sexual violence by security forces against tribal women in Chhattisgarh, reports The Hindu.

Dand Karanya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) of the Communist Party of India (Maoist), an outlawed outfit, has taken responsibility for the attacks that led to the death of 25 CRPF men in Chhattisgarh.

In an audio clip, as reported by The Hindu, DKSZC spokesperson 'Vikalp' said that the attacks were a response to the "countless incidents of sexual violence".

"These attacks are being carried out to liberate the tribal people in conflict areas from the inhuman atrocities they facing from the security forces," he said.

In the 5-minute audio clip, the DKSZC spokesperson claimed the Chintagufa-Burkapal attack on April 24 was in retaliation against last year's encounters that had killed their men, and a follow up of their March 11 attack at Bhejji in which 12 CRPF men had lost their lives.

They said that it was an answer to the Mission 2017, to the state-directed police atrocities on tribals and "innumerable instances of rape, and gangrapes, of tribal women and girls by security forces", he said.

However, the group denied reports of mutilation. "We do not insult the bodies of jawans killed in attacks by People's Liberation Guerrilla Army," the spokesperson said. He said that the reports that the genitals of the jawans were mutilated are "lies and false propaganda", reports Economic Times.

A Hindustan Timesreport notes that a 32-year-old battle-hardened Maoist commander has emerged as the likely mastermind behind the attacks.

According to the report, police has said that Madvi Hidma, who heads the first military battalion of the CPI (Maoist), planned and executed the ambush on the group of CRPF personnel.

"He mostly coordinates with the local area commanders and sangham sadasyas (outfit members) and for many of them he is like god," a police official said.

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