The hostage drama unleashed since Friday night in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh finally ended with one killed, rest walking free, informed Bastar IGP RP Kalluri on Saturday. The deceased, Sadaram, used to work as a munshi in the bridge construction project.
Earlier, around 250 villagers were abducted by Maoist rebels on the eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to neighbouring Dantewada district. The villagers were reportedly on their way to Modi’s rally against which the Maoists had called a shutdown in Bastar.
Unspecified number of Maoist guerrillas had swooped down on Marenga and some adjoining villages within the Tongpal police stations limits and herded the villagers to the nearby forest.
The Naxals were reportedly upset over participation of workers in construction of a bridge near Marenga village under Tongpal district, Sukma Superintendent of Police D Sharwan told The Pioneer.
The Maoists have been opposing construction of a bridge on a river near Marenga village. They apprehended that it would facilitate increased mobility of security forces during operations against them.
“It is customary for villagers to be taken by Naxals for talks and freed later. However, this time none of the villagers returned,” Sharwan said, adding efforts are on to locate them.
Chief Minister Raman Singh said anywhere between 200 and 250 villagers were abducted by the Naxals from a few villages in Sukma and efforts were being made by the local administration for their release.
“Around 200-250 villagers have been abducted by Naxals from a few villages in Sukma and 4-5 others (locals) are negotiating their release,” Singh told journalists after conflicting claims were made by police officials on the number of villagers kidnapped. “There is no confusion...the local administration is making efforts for their release,” he said.
Earlier, Additional Superintendent of Police, Sukma, Harish Rathore, said anywhere between 400 and 500 villagers were “taken away” to the jungles by the rebels opposing construction of a bridge, while Inspector General of Police, Bastar region, RP Kalluri, called it “fiction” by the media.
Meanwhile in lucknow, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that the Centre was making efforts for the release of hostages. Security forces are combing the area to secure the release of the abducted villagers.