In Chhattisgarh, the police operation on May 10 has sparked controversy after 12 individuals, including 15-year-old Shaiytu Kunjam, were killed and labeled as Maoists. Kunjam, a student from Pidiya village who had not returned to his residential school in Bijapur’s Basaguda after the Dussehra break, was among those killed in the operation.
The police have been accused of extrajudicial killings by families and activists. Despite claims that the deceased were Maoists with bounties on their heads, the Communist Party of India (Maoist) only identified two of the victims as militia. The discrepancies in the police statement, including misidentification of individuals using incorrect photographs, have fueled skepticism.
Families attempted to file a complaint, alleging that the police indiscriminately fired on villagers, but their efforts were reportedly rebuffed. Bela Bhatia, a human rights lawyer, claimed the police refused to register the complaint, and a fact-finding report by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties supported allegations of extrajudicial killings.
Activists, including Soni Sori, have condemned the violence, noting that the victims, who were collecting Tendu leaves, were unarmed and pleaded for their lives. The state government has not initiated an inquiry into the incident, despite local protests and support for the villagers’ claims.
Bijapur SP Jitendra Yadav dismissed the claims, asserting no school students were involved in the encounter, but declined further comment when pressed.
