New Delhi: Facing severe criticism over the Bijapur encounter in Chhattisgarh where some civilians including minors were allegedly gunned down by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel during an anti-Naxal operation, the Union Home Ministry has called a meeting to discuss standard operating procedures (SOPs) to deal with human shields.
Home Minister P Chidambaram, who has defended the CRPF, will meet all Naxal-affected state government and paramilitary forces on July 13.
An internal report by the Congress party on the encounter between the Naxals and the CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh has claimed that at least seven tribals, including minors, were killed in the crossfire. The report by the 11-member panel is different from Chidambaram's version of the encounter.
The report, however, said that panel members were unable to make it clear who started firing.
It also attacked the Chhattisgarh government of Raman Singh saying, "The state government didn't give attention to how the operation should be conducted." They further said that the risk factor was not taken into account by the state government and the CRPF.
The names of the tribals who, according to the report, got killed during the encounter are: Irpa Suresh (13 years), Dilip Markam (14), Ekka Mittu (15), Kunju Malar (15), Kumari Kaka Saraswatu (12), Kaka Rahul (14), Ram Vilas Markam (14).
Reacting to the report, the Ministry of Home Affairs claimed that the seven tribals who got killed were being used by the Naxals as human shields.
This comes a day after Raman Singh met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with regard to anti-Naxal operation by the CRPF in which 20 people were killed.
Following the meeting, the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister said, "Bijapur encounter was not a planned encounter. Such sensitive issues should not be politicised."
Congress leaders and human rights activists had alleged that the victims of the June 29 offensive were innocent Adivasis and not Naxals. The CRPF though denied the allegations.
DG CRPF Vijay Kumar said the security forces opened fire after they were fired upon by the Naxals.
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