Angry people of Korsaguda and Sarkeguda villages in Chhattigarh, where 19 villagers, including seven minors, were gunned down by security forces as Maoists, have refused relief and food items sent by the government despite being in great need, officials have said.
Deep distrust for the authorities is prevalent among them following a midnight gunbattle June 28 between the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers and suspected Maoists and their sympathisers.
“After coming to know about the plight of people of Korsaguda and Sarkeguda, the district administration had Saturday sent a  truckload of relief material, including items of basic need, but the people refused to accept them,” sub-divisional magistrate of Bhopalpatnam A. Kuruvanshi, told IANS.
The incident sparked nationwide uproar since the dead also included seven minors and a woman. Kuruvanshi has also been assigned to conduct magisterial enquiry into the controversial gunbattle.
According to Sarkeguda Sarpanch, Markam Narayan people of both Korsaguda and Sarkeguda are peeved at the 19 people killed in the encounter being termed as Maoists and their sympathisers.
“Despite repeated requests by the officials they refused to accept the relief questioning the government gesture,” he added.
Notably, after the controversial gunbattle people of the two villages, mainly males, have virtually deserted the place and are either taking shelter at their relatives houses in other villages or have migrated to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.
Fears of both security forces and Maoists are so palpable that even local weekly markets are not held for the last 10 days, leading to great hardships to the villagers.
On the other hand, Maoists have also intensified their activities creating terror in the area. On Friday they reportedly held a ‘Jansunvai’ (public hearing) and asked families of police personnel to either leave the area or face annihilation.
According to Bijapur district Additional Superintendent of Police (Naxal Operations) Ashok Singh six families of policemen have sought security and rehabilitation after leaving their houses in the backdrop of Maoist diktat.
These families will be suitably rehabilitated under the government provisions, he added.
Notably, about 47 members of six families fled their houses at Kundulnar village near Bijapur Friday night after the Maoists announced warning to the families of policemen. They reached Bijapur police station to seek security.