Maoists threaten journalists, govt officials not to accompany security forces in naxal-infested areas of Chhattisgarh

Bastar/New Delhi: The banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) has issued a statement, attempting to threaten media persons with a diktat to not accompany security forces and police while reporting from the insurgency-hit Bastar region.

The outfit organisation has issued a threat to government officials engaged in election-related duty, too. The government servants have been asked to avoid moving with police and forces in the Bastar region.

Taking responsibility of the ambush in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district that killed three police personnel and DD News cameraman Achyutanand Sahu, the banned outfit said that their intention was not to target media people.

On October 30, Maoists had carried out an ambush near village Nilawaya falling in the limits of the Aranapur police station of Dantewada district. Two policemen identified as sub-inspector Rudra Pratap Singh, assistant constable Manglu and DD News cameraman Achyutanand Sahu were killed in the attack.

Moreover, one of the injured assistant constables Rakesh Kaushal, undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Raipur, succumbed to his bullet injuries.

The two-page statement was issued on behalf of Sainath, secretary of Darbha division committee of Maoists. Sainath has allegedly executed several deadly attacks in naxal-hit Bastar, which include the Jhiram attack on May 25, 2013 — the attack that virtually wiped out the Congress in Chhattisgarh.

In February 2013, a group of armed Maoists killed journalist Nemichand Jain in the most naxal-infested Sukma district.

A small action group of naxals hacked a local journalist Sai Reddy to death in full public glare in the insurgency-hit Bijapur in December 2013.

With inputs from Sandeep Pradhan

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