Muhammad Raza Malik Srinagar
India witnessed a deadly Maoist attack in Bajapur area of the central state of Chhattisgarh on Sunday which killed at least 22 soldiers.
The Maoists, also known as Naxals, have waged an armed struggle against government forces for decades. They say they are fighting for the poor who have been left behind economically.
On Saturday, the Teklagudem village found itself at the centre of the raging battle between Maoists and Indian forces as some of the villagers were beaten up by the cops.
The residents told media that when they saw the police personnel approach, they locked themselves in their houses.
“Those who didn’t, they got beaten up. After a few hours, we heard the noise of heavy firing and we fled,” said Bhima Korsa, a resident of the village.
A media report quoting a senior police official said that the Naxals were strategically positioned on a hillock in front of Tekulagudem village and around it.
When the battle ensued, its residents took shelter in the forest, and then to Poovarti, around 30 minutes from the village on the other side of the hills.
