Killing of jawans in Sukma not rights violation: CRPF

The killing of 25 personnel by Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district on April 24 apparently does not qualify as a “human rights violation” of the slain jawans for the CRPF.

The force gave this response while refusing to share the inquiry report into the incident with an RTI applicant.

Human rights activist Venkatesh Nayak had sought the report, saying the massacre violated the human rights of those killed. The force is exempted from making disclosures under the RTI Act unless the information pertains to allegations of human rights violation and corruption, which may or may not be committed by the CRPF personnel.

Citing the exemption clause, the CRPF said, “In the instant matter, there appears to be no violations of human rights as well as facts of the case do not attract allegations of corruption. Moreover, your application does not make any reference to such allegations. Hence, this department is not liable to provide any information in this regard to your under RTI Act, 2005.”

Giving additional arguments to withhold information, the CRPF also said the report contains operational details hence cannot be shared.

The police seized a powerful 25-kg improvised explosive device (IED), suspected to have been planted by Maoists, in Chhattisgarh’s

Sukma on Tuesday. The IED, which was packed in a big steel container, was unearthed near a culvert on the DornapalJagargunda road, Superintendent of Police Abhishek Meena told PTI. Acting on a tip-off by a local intelligence agency, the CRPF and the district police launched a search operation in Dornapal area, near Raipur.