Encounter spurs dispute Our operation bonafide, CONGRESS PLAYS IT SAFE ON ENCOUNTER

It was genuine, probe not needed, says Raman Singh says CRPF D-G

Facing the charge of fake encounter killing of 20 people in Chhattisgarh’s Maoist hotbed, CRPF on Monday defended its action saying it was “bonafide” and wondered if only killing of security forces should be the norm. CRPF Director General K. Vijay Kumar said his force, deep inside the jungles of Silger in Bijapur district, drew the first fire in the night and his men retaliated according to the laid down Standard Operating Procedures. “You cannot lay the entire blame on the CRPF or the state police. We have always shown extreme restraint and this was a bonafide action,” the director general said. New Delhi, July 2: As questions were raised over the killing of 20 persons last week in anti-Maoist operations in Chhattisgarh, Congress on Monday treaded cautiously on the issue maintaining that tribals should not become victims in the cross fire between Naxals and security forces.

Downplaying P. Chidambaram’s reported statement that three Naxals were killed in the encounter, AICC in-charge for Chhattisgarh B.K. Hariprasad said, the Union home minister was merely quoting from the report of the state government.

Party spokesperson Rashid Alvi said “We do not have complete information. We have asked the AICC general secretary incharge of the state to submit a report in this regard. The home minister has already spoken on it but let us have a complete picture.”

Congress has sent a 12 member fact-finding team led by senior MLA Kawasi Lakhma. — PTI