Swami Agnivesh attacked in Dantewada

     Dantewada/Raipur, March 26, 2011: Eminent Human Rights activist Swami Agnivesh and a couple of journalists were today attacked by a mob, when they were proceeding towards Tadmetla and other villages to probe the arson allegedly committed by police in those villages.

     Reports reaching here said when Swami Agnivesh, Rishi Milind and a host of media persons from various news organisations were proceeding towards Tadmetla area to probe the allegation of burning of about 300 houses by police on March 13, they were confronted by a hostile mob near Dornapal.

     The vehicles of Agnivesh and others were targetted with eggs and stones by an unruly mob, which questioned the intention of the visitors and said they were only sided with the Maoists and had little respect for the human rights of the policemen and innocent villagers, who were brutally killed by the Maoists.

     The mob also damaged vehicles and other properties, including mobile phones and cameras of the media persons, the reports said.

     Meanwhile, condemning the incident a PUCL statement said Swami Agnivesh and his companions were manhandled and abused by a crowd comprising of three hundred women and men from the Dornapal Salwa Judum camp and also from the Errabore village relief camp.

     The tyres of the car of Swami Agnivesh were deflated, their laptops snatched, the supplies he was carrying for the victims of those villages were taken away, PUCL said.

     Although Agnivesh tried his best to dialogue with the people who were causing obstruction yet they refused to talk. However, the laptops were handed over after some time.

     Although Dantewada police could not be contacted for reaction, but sources said no one was injured in that incident.

        Reports in national media had said a joint police party of CRPF and Koya Commandos had gone on a three day operation of Chintalnar area on March 13, last and during that period they had killed one innocent person, sexually abused some women and burnt about 300 houses for no reasons.

     Dantewada District Collector R Prasanna has told ChhattisgarhTopNews.Com “there were media reports that some houses of Tadmetla, Timmapuram and Morpalli have been burnt by police, but so far I have not received any complaint from any of the villagers.”

     The District Collector has also said he has constituted an Inquiry committee headed by Sub Divisional Magistrate Sukma Surendra Vaidya to probe the incident.