CPI demands independent judicial probe into killing of Naxals

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The CPI on Wednesday demanded an independent judicial probe into the killing of 27 Maoists, including top Naxal leader Nambala Keshav Rao.

Taking to X, Raja quoted Home Minister Amit Shah's post where he said security forces have neutralised 27 dreaded Maoists, including Nambala Keshav Rao, alias Basavaraju, the general secretary of CPI-Maoist.

Raja said the killing of the Maoist leader "instead of lawfully arresting him" raises serious concerns about the State's commitment to democratic norms.

"CPI strongly condemns the cold-blooded killing of senior Maoist leader along with several Adivasis in Chhattisgarh. It is yet another instance of extrajudicial action carried out under the guise of counterinsurgency operations," Raja alleged.

"If the authorities had credible intelligence about the whereabouts of the leader, why was a legal arrest not pursued? Why was due process guaranteed by the Constitution so blatantly ignored," he said.

The CPI demanded an independent judicial inquiry into the incident and the entire Operation Kagar.

"The people of Chhattisgarh and India at large deserve to know the truth. A democratic society cannot allow the State to become the judge, jury, and executioner," he said and urged "all democratic and progressive forces to raise their voices against this injustice".

CPI-Maoist general secretary Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju, the topmost leader and backbone of the Naxal movement, was among the 27 dreaded Maoists killed by security forces in Chhattisgarh on Wednesday, Shah announced.

He also said this is for the first time in three decades of India's battle against Naxalism that a general secretary-ranked leader has been neutralised by the security forces.