Andhra Pradesh Civil Liberties Committee dubs February 18 Naxal encounter in Gadchiroli as "fake"

GADCHIROLI: Alleging that a police-Naxal face-off here last week was a "fake encounter," the Andhra Pradesh Civil Liberties Committee has demanded action against policemen involved in the incident.

Seven Maoists were killed in the wee hours of February 18 during an encounter between the ultras and C-60 Commando force personnel in Betkathi village of Korchi taluka, situated on the Gondia-Gadchiroli border, according to police.

Later, a fact-finding committee of APCLC, a social organisation working in the field of human rights, along with representatives of Indian Association of People's Lawyers conducted an inquiry into the incident.

APCLC's general secretary C H Chandrashekhar told reporters here last night that their fact-finding committee was of the view that it was a "fake encounter" and a "cold blooded murder".

The seven Maoists, including two women, were brought by the police in a vehicle in an "intoxicated state" and they were fired upon at close range and not killed in an encounter as claimed by police, he alleged.

"There were no bullet marks or signs of encounter at the incident spot. No inquest was conducted on the spot and neither the local people nor the media were informed about the incident. The bodies were directly brought to Gadchiroli general hospital," said Chandrashekhar.

He demanded registration of an offence of murder against the security personnel involved and a judicial probe in the incident. If the Maoists have done anything wrong, they should be tried in the court of law, he asserted.

"We are going to take legal action against the policemen after obtaining necessary documents related to the case," he said, while demanding immediate withdrawal of all police and para military forces deployed in the district.