The Congress has demanded a separate CBI probe into the alleged fake encounter of Edasmeta, in which eight villagers including three innocent children were allegedly killed by security forces on May 17, for providing speedy justice to victim families, compensation of Rs25 lakh each, registering FIR against the guilty officials and their arrest.
The party also demanded that the State Government should ensure that this type of fake encounters should not recur in future. The party alleged that the incident is not only a cold blood murder of innocent Tribals but also the usurpation of the right to life and right to freedom bestowed by the Constitution upon them by the same security personnel upon whom lies the responsibility of their safety.
Notably, a delegation of Congress leaders met Governor Shekhar Dutt Tuesday along with family members of the two youths allegedly killed by security forces in fake encounter at Hodnar in Chhote Dongar area of Bastar on May 1 and submitted a memorandum asking him to ensure speedy justice to the families of the victims of police brutality.
The party charged that cases of fake encounter are on the rise as the State Government has become autocratic in style and is hardly concerned about the plight of tribals who are virtually butchered by security forces.
Citing various encounter cases like Sarkeguda, Silgar, Chimlipenta, murder of Meena Khalkho, fake encounter of Hodnar of Chhote Dongar, the Congress memorandum alleged that after the Edasmeta fake encounter the State Government has announced judicial probe under the chairmanship of Justice V K Agrawal who has already been assigned the responsibility of conducting probe in to a number of other cases including Sarkeguda fake encounter case in which 17 villagers were killed last year and report of which is still awaited. Therefore, a separate CBI probe was needed for delivering speedy justice to the victim families, it said.
The party urged the Governor to use his powers conferred upon him under section 167 of the Constitution and seek the information regarding action taken by the State Government in this connection and direct it to take effective action in this direction besides reprimanding the sitting BJP Government, the memorandum said.