Naxals killed 7,700 people since 2001

NEW DELHI: Naxals have killed over 7,700 people, including 2,036 security personnel, in different parts of the country in the last decade.

Maoists have killed 5,665 civilians and 2036 security personnel since 2001, Minister of State for Home Jitendra Singh told the Lok Sabha.

"During the last three years, Left Wing Extremists outfits have abducted 1,594 persons. Some of these abductions are for ransom," he said.

The civilians killed by the Naxals are usually branded as 'police informers', 'class enemies' etc. Many of them are 'tried' in kangaroo courts called Jan-Adalats and tortured and then brutally killed.

"Statements of several surrendered women CPI(Maoist) cadres of Odisha, Maharashtra, Bihar, Jharkhand and other states have disclosed several instances of sexual exploitation in Maoist camps," the minister said.

Singh said Left Wing Extremists groups, particularly CPI(Maoists), resort to imposition of levy through coercive means from a variety of sources, including contractors, businessmen and industries.

While replying another question, the minister said 327 personnel of Central Armed Police Forces were killed in various incidents during the last three years.