Cong for CBI probe into Edasmeta, Chhote Dongar cases

Submits memorandum to Governor
 

Raipur, May 21, 2013

Congress has demanded CBI inquiry into encounter incidents in Edasmeta and Chhote Dongar. The party has also demanded compensation of Rs 25 lakh each and security to the family members of the deceased. In this connection, a delegation of Congmen led by PCC president Nandkumar Patel submitted memorandum to Governor Shekhar Dutt at Rajbhavan on Tuesday.

The party said the government should take prompt action against the persons involved in fake encounters and ensure that such inhuman activities may not reiterate in future.

Through the memorandum the party alleged that innocent villagers were being killed on pretext of encounters for the past couple of years. 

The Congmen informed Governor that 11 villagers including three children, who had gathered to celebrate local festival, were killed in Edasmeta village in Bijapur district at night on May 17, 2013. 

Earlier, the delegation said, two villagers Phool Singh and Jai Singh from Chhote Dongar were killed by police in fake encounter at early morning between 5-6 am on May 1, 2013. Both Phool Singh and Jai Singh were tractor drivers, working in fields and had job and ration cards on their names, the delegation added. 

The party also mentioned Sarkeguda (Bijapur district) encounter on June 28, 2012 in which 17 villagers including children and women were killed. The party charged that encounters in Sukma district’s Silgar and Chimlipenta were also fake. 

Indicating that judicial inquiry into Edasmeta incident would not be enough, the Congress demanded for CBI probe into the matter. The government has appointed Justice VK Agrawal to conduct judicial inquiry into the case; but sine he is already investigating Sarkeguda, Silgar and Chimlipenta incidents, the justice to family members of the deceased in Edasmeta encounter is likely to be delayed, hence the matter should be given to independent agency like CBI, the Congmen said. 

The Congress said the BJP government had become cruel and inhuman as was evident from rising number of fake encounter incidents in state, especially Bastar. 

The party urged Governor to use his discretionary powers under article 167 of the constitution of India and ask the government furnish information pertaining to action taken into fake encounter cases.