NAXAL/ MAOISTS- 2009 - Indian Social Institute

the possibility of another ambush. Three vehicles in which the security personnel were travelling weredamaged in the blasts, said reports. While this is the first incident of Naxalite violence in Dhamtari district,police sources in Nagari Sihawa said the Maoist rebels had suddenly become active in the region,particularly after Sitanadi wildlife sanctuary was notified as a tiger reserve. Six months ago, the villagersfrom the area affected by the tiger project had organised a massive rally at Nagari Sihawa town,protesting against inclusion of their villages in the reserve area. (Indian Express 12/5/09)Naxals strike, kill 16 cops (12)Nagpur, May 21, 2009: Armed CPI(Maoist) cadres struck in western Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district —one of the most Naxal-infested regions in the country — on Thursday. A group of more than 70 Maoistsambushed a police team on its way to clear a road blocked by the ultras, killing all 16 personnel, includingfour women constables. The Maoists, who were camping near Tabitola village, bordering Chhattishgarh,opened fire on the police personnel. They triggered landmine blasts later, Superintendent of PoliceRajesh Pradhan said. The attack — the fourth major one in the district so far this year — began around3.30 p.m. and continued for over two hours. More than five dalams (squads) of Maoists, armed with AK-47 rifles and other sophisticated weapons, attacked the police team, which was taken completely bysurprise. This is the first time women constables have been killed in a clash between Maoists and thepolice. A strong force under the guidance of Pradhan was rushed to the spot. The attack was consideredto be in response to the surrender of eight hard-core Maoists, including four women, before the districtadministration on Tuesday evening. The surrender was the first in the district this year. The Maoists hadgiven a call for a two-day shutdown in the district from Wednesday to protest alleged “police excesses” ontribals in the name of operations against the extremists. They had blocked roads by felling trees. “Thepolice team had gone there to remove the road blockade,” Pradhan said. “We got a call about the incidentat 5 p.m. and immediately sent a rescue party. But before it reached the spot, everything was over,” hesaid. Maoists have been active in the tribal district since the 1980s and have been involved in severalviolent activities. They have divided Gadchiroli into two operational divisions: south Gadchiroli and northGadchiroli-Gondia. The divisions have more than 25 armed squads and platoons. Each squad consists of15 to 29 armed cadres. Thursday’s attack was the handiwork of the north Gadchiroli-Gondia division. Theother major Naxal attack in the insurgency-hit district was in February, when CPI (Maoist) activists hadgunned down 15 policemen, including a sub-inspector. They followed it up by killing three morepolicemen in the Dhanora area of the district on April 7. The gunbattle lasted over two hours. And on April16, the Naxalites had fired at a helicopter on election supervision duty in remote Binagunda area nearBhamragarh in the district. No one was injured. (The Hindustan Times 21/5/09)Among police personnel killed by Naxals are wives and mothers (12)GADCHIROLI: In the thickly forested Gadchiroli district, they were no strangers to the dangerous ways oflife. Even if they would have preferred to be only housewives, there wouldn’t have been any guarantee ofpeace and safety. But that usually doesn’t prompt tribal women to join the police — a department that ismost hated by the Naxals who have been active in this region for years. There are only 251 policewomenin Gadchiroli’s 2,500-strong police force. Little did the five policewomen, killed in a Naxal ambush in thedistrict, know then that they would become the first women martyrs in the Red Corridor. Shobha Tayade,Alka Gawade, Shakuntala Alam, Gendkunwar Faredia and Sunita Kallo, all tribals, were among 16 policepersonnel who died in the ambush. On every such tragic occasion, the family enclosure at the gun salutefunction presents the familiar scene of widows wailing at the loss of their husbands. Today, while elevenwidows of dead policemen wailed inconsolably, four husbands sobbed, trying hard to control theiremotions. (Indian Express 23/5/09)Maoists activities displaced 4 lakh tribals: Report (12)New Delhi, May 24, 2009: More than four lakh tribals have been displaced due to extremists activists byMaoists in various parts of India, a non-government organisation has claimed in its latest report. "A totalof 4,01,425 tribals have been displaced due to armed conflicts and ethnic conflicts across India," AsianIndegenous and Tribal People's Network (AITPN), which has special consultative status with the UN'sEconomic and Social Council (ECOSOC), claimed in its report. "These displaced persons (tribals) havebeen living miserable lives without basic amenities including food, water, shelter, medical services,sanitation and livelihood opportunities," it added. About 1.2 lakh members of Gutti Koya tribes of Bastarand Bijapur districts of Chhattisgarh fled to Andhra Pradesh's Khammam between January to June last