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planning to kill us and leave our bodies on the road. I signaled to
[name withheld] and we both started running. At some point, the rope
broke and we separated. When we ran, the others began to run too.
But Penta and Shankuri were killed. 351
Emla Dhruvesh was beaten so badly that after his escape he was admitted to a
hospital. On the day he ran away, Naxalites attacked the Errabore camp and his
brother was killed in the attack.
Similarly, several villagers told Human Rights Watch that they knew camp residents
who were killed by Naxalites: 352
In February 2006, 18 villagers—all men—from my village who had
come back from [name withheld] camp to get some things from the
village were abducted. Four of them were killed. I know two of them
who were killed—Kando Rama and Madkam Irma [the former in his 30s,
the latter in his 40s]. Naxalites came at around 2 p.m. and abducted
them. They were held hostage for about eight to ten days before four of
them were killed. The bodies were found on the Jagargonda road. The
remaining men were released. I got scared, left my village, and came
to the Salwa Judum camp immediately. 353
Not only were camp residents abducted and killed, in 2006 Naxalites also attacked
the Errabore camp itself. They killed at least 25 people, injured several others, and
destroyed property. 354 According to eyewitness accounts, the attack was well
planned. Dasru Mangesh said he was on guard duty along with other villagers at the
351 Human Rights Watch Interview with Emla Dhruvesh (pseudonym), camp resident, Errabore, date withheld.
352 Human Rights Watch interviews with Kaskul Naiyya (pseudonym), IDP from Nayapara, village K3, Khammam district,
December 2, 2007; villager from Gorgonda, location withheld, December 12, 2007; villager from Pottenar (who chose to
remain anonymous), location withheld, December 14, 2007.
353 Human Rights Watch interview with Umang Deep (pseudonym), Dornapal camp resident, other details withheld.
354 “Major Naxalite attack in Chhattisgarh, 25 killed,” http://www.expressindia.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=71166, July
17, 2006; Subodh Ghildiyal, “Naxalites massacre 26 tribals in Dantewada,”The Times of India, July 18, 2006,
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/APA26300/PrintArt.asp?SkinFolder=pastissues2 (accessed September 12, 2007). “27 ‘Salva
Judum’ activists killed,” The Hindu, July 18, 2006, http://www.thehindu.com/2006/07/18/stories/2006071814800100.htm
(accessed September 12, 2007).
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Human Rights Watch July 2008