Tribal Youth Killed by Bastar Police, Mistaken for Naxalite, Family Claims He Was a Government Cook

Tribal Youth Killed by Bastar Police, Mistaken for Naxalite, Family Claims He Was a Government Cook

In a tragic incident in Chhattisgarh’s Indravati Tiger Reserve Park, Bastar police allegedly killed a tribal youth, Mahesh Kudiam, branding him a Naxalite. According to a press note issued by the police on June 10, seven Maoists, including prominent figures like Sudhakar and Bhaskar, were killed in an encounter. However, Mahesh Kudiam’s family refutes these claims, asserting that he was not a Maoist but a government-employed cook who provided meals for children at a local government school.

Mahesh, a father of seven, was reportedly a salaried employee, with the government depositing his wages into his bank account every month. His family alleges that he was unjustly targeted and killed, raising serious questions about the Bastar police’s actions. While villagers have acknowledged that the other six individuals killed in the encounter were Maoists, they maintain that Mahesh was an innocent civilian with no ties to Naxalism.

This incident has sparked outrage, with allegations that the BJP-led government in Chhattisgarh, since its victory in the state assembly, has intensified its crackdown on the Adivasi community under the pretext of combating Naxalism. Critics argue that such operations often result in the deaths of innocent tribals, with little to no accountability or punishment for those responsible. The lack of transparency and oversight in these encounters has fueled accusations of oppression and exploitation of vulnerable communities.

The case of Mahesh Kudiam underscores a broader issue: how many innocent lives are lost each year in the name of countering Naxalism? Without accountability or fear of repercussions, such incidents risk perpetuating a cycle of injustice against marginalized groups.

Reported by BastarTalkies