2 tribals ‘mistaken’ for Maoists gunned down in Vizag Agency

The alleged exchange of fire took place at P Kodapalli village in Pedabayalu mandal on Friday night.
Image of CRPF Jawans used for representatonal purpose only. (Photo| PTI)
Image of CRPF Jawans used for representatonal purpose only. (Photo| PTI)

VISAKHAPATNAM: A special police team combing the forest area allegedly gunned down two tribals, when they went into the interior forest area on information about the presence of Maoists there, leading to protests by the family members of the deceased as well as Girijan associations. Police, however, claimed that the slain persons were Maoists and one of their own personnel, a CRPF jawan, was also injured in the exchange of fire.

The alleged exchange of fire took place at P Kodapalli village in Pedabayalu mandal on Friday night. According to sources, three tribals from Mettaveedhi and P Kodapalli villages went for hunting in the forest. The police team comprising CRPF jawans, which spotted the tribals, assumed that they were armed Maoists. While they were fleeing on seeing the CRPF personnel, a countrymade weapon went off.

The police team opened fire at them suspecting that they were being attacked, retaliated leaving two tribals dead in the incident while another managed to flee. The deceased were identified as Batti Bhushanam (52) and Siveri Jammanna Dora (29).

The other tribal Siveri Rambabu (30) from P Kodapalli went missing. The police thought that the deceased were Maoists of Pedabayalu area committee, headed by Sudheer and the same was communicated to their superiors. In turn, the same information was passed on to the media.

Police force to retaliate as tribal men carried weapons, says SP

The police team opened fire at them suspecting that they were being attacked, retaliated leaving two tribals dead in the incident while another managed to flee. The deceased were identified as Batti Bhushanam (52) and Siveri Jammanna Dora (29). The other tribal Siveri Rambabu (30) from P Kodapalli went missing. The police thought that the deceased were Maoists of Pedabayalu area committee, headed by Sudheer and the same was communicated to their superiors. In turn, the same information was passed on to the media. However, by afternoon, when the local tribals identified the deceased, they alleged that they were not Maoists and the special party had mistakenly killed them.

After coming to know about this, the villagers including the family members of the deceased got angry and tried to attack the policemen. Later, AP Girijana Sangham leaders along with victims’ family members staged a protest in front of Paderu area hospital demanding justice. Paderu DSP Kamal, Narsipatnam- OSD Krishna Rao visited the hospital and conveyed condolences to the victims’ families and assured all possible support to them. 

Speaking on the incident, Visakhapatnam SP Babujee Attada said that only on reliable information about the presence of Maoists, the special combing party went there and asked the men to surrender. “But, as there was firing from the opposite side, in retaliation, CRPF personnel too opened fire. Opening of fire on CRPF jawans leading to injuries to one of them by armed tribal men led to this incident,’’ the SP explained. After an autopsy, the bodies the deceased were handed over to the family members. 

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