Two civilians killed by police in shootout with Maoists

RAIPUR - Two days after police claimed to have killed eight Maoists in a fierce shootout in Chhattisgarh’s Mahasamund district, its claims were mired in controversy with accusations Monday that two of those killed were civilians.

Dozens of state police personnel had Oct 9 fought a gunbattle with Maoists near the Orissa border and claimed to have killed eight rebels and also described it as an achievement.

It was the first incident of police and Maoists involved in a gunfight in Mahasamund district that was so far untouched by the banned Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) outfit.

However, people of the village - Ledgidip - said that police personnel stormed into the house of Gautam Patel during the gunfight and killed him along with his servant despite their pleadings that they were not Maoists.

Local media reports have quoted Himadri, wife of Patel, as saying that her husband and servant were killed in the kitchen by policemen and the blood was still on the floor.

Chhattisgarh Director General of Police Vishwa Ranjan told IANS: “Yes, two civilians were killed in cross firing Oct 9 but we have to find out how they got killed.”

He added: “Only a probe would reveal whether they were killed by Maoists or police.”

Asked whether a magisterial probe is on into the killings, he said: “Its a legal complication to have a probe whenever civilians get killed.”

Maoists have presence in 13 of the state’s 18 districts with considerable base in seven districts.