In Chhattisgarh's Maoist Belt, Villagers Say Police Fired On Protesters

The encounter site is 10 km from the spot where 22 security personnel had died in the line of duty during a Maoist ambush in April.

Residents of a village in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district have accused the police of opening fire on them at a peaceful protest, during which nine persons died on Monday, hugely contradicting the police version of events. Monday's shootout was with the Maoists, the police have said, which took place outside their new camp. Three Maoists have died during the exchange of fire, the police have said. 3 people were killed on Monday in an exchange of fire between security forces and Maoists in front of a newly built camp in Sukma but now the villagers alleged that they were staging a peaceful protest but police opened fire to end it,9 dead. pic.twitter.com/MSozjANaQY  "We don't want a police camp and so we gathered there to hold a protest... almost 5,000 villagers from 20 villages came here," said Mangu Podiyam, one of the residents of Chikurbati village, accusing the police of killing nine villagers but handing over only three bodies. The police, he also alleged, had used batons first on the protesters. "Those who are killed include Uika Pandu from Teemapura, Bheema Ursam from Gundam, and Kawasi Waga from Sudwa village," said Rahul Madvi.