ADILABAD: In the first incident of its kind in 10 years, An Adivasi was shot dead by Maoists who suspected that he was an informer for the police.
Maoists killed Adivasi Ballal Shah, 25, of Kheriguda village in Tiryani mandal, a graduate, accusing him of being a police informer on Friday. The Maoists said in a letter that they had “warned” him to mend his ways.
Adivasis are caught in the crossfire between the police and Maoists who are trying to gain the upper hand and are using the gullible Adivasis.
Both the police and Maoists are trying to lure Adivasis for a grip on the interior Adivasi gudems. Maoists who are trying to get a foothold are sending signals against those who they suspect are working with the police.
The Maoists look to recruit members to their outfit from among the Adivasis while the police tries its best to lure Adivasis to strengthen their network in the interior villages.
One policeman has been appointed to each village and phone numbers of the local police are written prominently on the walls in the villages to get information about new persons entering the villages. Villagers can seek the help of the police.
Police says publicising their phone numbers was nothing but moving close to the people and extending services to the interior villages and to create confidence among the people.
Police is also conducting sports events in the Adivasi gudems, during their festivals, distributing sports kits, providing training to the Adivasi youth for the recruitment examination of the police, army recruitments and also other competitive examinations to win their hearts and wean them from the clutches of Maoists.
Human Rights Forum state secretary Atram Bhujanga Rao condemned the killing of the Adivasi youth and the police for luring Adivasi youth by offering inducements.
“It is unfortunate that Adivasis have become the victims of the corrupt system and both the police and Maoists are using them as tools for their activities and in the process they are being victimised.”
The last of the three killings by Maoists was reported in 2005.
