CPI workers, Salwa Judum activists clash, 7 hurt
04 June, 2007
Raipur, June 3: No less than seven CPI members, including a Panchayat representative, were today seriously injured in a clash with activists of anti-naxal movement Salwa Judum in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh.
"All the seven injured have been admitted to Dornapal Hospital in a serious condition," CPI national executive member Chitta Ranjan Bakshi told PTI from Dantewada.
When contacted, Dantewada police confirmed the incident and said the SP Rahul Sharma had left for the spot.
The incident occurred near Dornapal when the CPI leaders and workers were returning from Cherla in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh after attending a meeting against the Salwa Judum and naxal threat, police and CPI leaders said.
About 20,000 people had left their villages in Dantewada district because of the Salwa Judum and naxal threat and took shelter in Andhra Pradesh and it was a CPI organised meeting in Cherla against their forced ouster, Bakshi said.
Initially vehicles of CPI leaders were blocked near Injeram, because of which they returned to Konta block headquarters and with police escort they crossed the Konta police station area, CPI leaders said.
After crossing the Konta area they were passing through Dornapal area when Salwa Judum activists stopped their vehicles, they said. "Initially there was a verbal duel followed by the attack in which at least seven CPI leaders and workers were seriously injured and admitted to Hospital," they said.
Among the injured was one Rama Sodhi, who is an elected Panchayat people's representatives from Dantewada district, police added.
Sahara Samay
posted by Bimal 4.6.07,
