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Rights groups and police are facing off on the killing of 13 Naxalites by the Nagrik Suraksha Samiti (NSS) in Dumaria block of Jamshedpur district.
The People's Union for Civil Liberty (PUCL) has questioned the killing of activists of the banned People's War group (PWG) by the members of the NSS. The organisation has prepared a report after visiting the block and sent it to National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), cautioning it to take preventive measures to stop such killings in the future.
In it's report PUCL has charged that the NSS was formed to fight Naxalites , has political and economic interests and some of the members of the group have a criminal background. They have demanded that an FIR should be lodged against the NSS members for killing the Naxalites. It said that the police is allowing NSS members to take the law in their hands and is inciting the people against the rebels. "We oppose the way the PWG activists were killed. They were unarmed when they were killed," said Shanshibushan Pathak, general secretary of PUCL.
Jharkhand police chief R R Prasad however, refuted the charges, saying, "without the help of the villagers, the Naxalite problem cannot be curbed".
He said, "the villagers and the NSS members are fighting to defend their rights and protecting themselves from the atrocities of the Naxalites. We cannot demoralise their enthusiasm".
On August 7 the members of the NSS killed 13 PWG activists in Lango village. The NSS was formed by the police to fight the Naxalites.
"The NSS was formed as an experiment against the Naxalites and it has produced good results. The past experiences in other parts of the country point out that without support of the people, no problem can be sorted out," the police chief said.
PUCL has also charged that two killing that took place later by the members of NSS was nothing but a mockery of law. It has charged that despite the police knowing of the incident, arrived late on the spot, which helped NSS kill the PWG supporters.
PUCL has also questioned chief minister Arjun Munda's goodwill gesture to villagers and his congratulating them on the kill. On august 21 chief minister Munda, along with his some cabinet colleagues, visited the area to boost the moral of the people.
Mr Munda also announced sops of Rs 15 crore, which included construction of roads and irrigation project among other things.
Police officials say: "If we book people (who are fighting Naxalites) under murder charges, it will only help Naxalites expand their base. Such experiment have been done in other parts of the country. In Punjab people were given arms to fight against militants and it produced good results," said a senior police official. Police officials charge that PUCL is hampering police work in its fight against the Naxalites.
Police cite the example of how the PUCL members faced people's ire when they visited Dumaria block, under which Lango village falls.
The PUCL members were reportedly
driven away by the people of Dumaria block.
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