Gadchiroli: tribals caught in Naxal-police crossfire?

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Gadchiroli: Two more tribals were killed allegedly by the Naxals in the Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra taking the toll to 44 in the last one year. Just last week, 12 CRPF men died in a Naxal attack in Gadchiroli. The question is whether tribals are increasingly being caught in the crossfire.

25-year-old Sharad Kata was forcibly taken from his home in Maharashtra's 'Naxal capital' Gadchiroli and was later shot dead. His father found his body dumped on the roadside. Sharad's father Dungaji Kata said, "My son was shot in the head. I don't know where they killed him but his body was lying on the road."

His mother said that he was killed by the Naxals because they suspected he was a police informer. "He was a farmer and a labourer and had nothing to do with the police. Yet, they killed him," she said.

Sharad's wife was seven months pregnant when her husband died. Her fate was just like that of Sangeeta Mandale, who is now raising two children all by herself. Sangeeta's husband, police Constable Vilas Mandale, was among the 16 policemen killed in a Naxal attack in 2009. A proud wife Sangeeta wants her children to join the police force but she hopes the Naxals realise that even policemen are human beings.

"They may be angry with the police and they can punish them, but why kill so brutally? They must realise policemen too have families like they do. We're common citizens too," Sangeeta said.

Over the last 5 years, Maharashtra has seen 519 Naxal strikes killing 238 civilians and policemen. Intelligence reports say 346 armed Naxals are stationed in the state and over 3,000 security personnel are deputed to tackle them. In 2011 alone, 44 tribals were killed in Gadchiroli.

The police reject the charge that tribals are often caught in the crossfire between policemen and Naxals.

Gadchiroli SP Viresh Prabhu said, "This is a distorted picture. Whether it is the CRPF, SRPF or any other force, they are trained and told that people are our focus."

Fifteen per cent of government posts lie vacant in the district that also ranks lowest in the state's human development index. In Gadchiroli, hope dims with every sunset.