Two children have been the latest victims of the Naxal violence in Gadchiroli, near the Maharashtra – Chhattisgarh border. The Naxalite movement continues to persist in terms of geographical spread and intensity of violence. The Naxals have never feared security forces nor have they cowered under government pressure. They operate in the vacuum created by absence of administrative controls, espouse the local demands and brainwash the poor peasants joining the revolt so that their demands can be met.
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| Rescue operations for children injured by the Naxalites |
Reports say that the tussle between the Naxalites and the security forces began on the morning of October 8. Not only were the school children killed but a few security guards and villagers also fell victim to the violence.
Naxal violence in these areas was dormant for over a year until recently. The first instance of this violence was on October 5 when there was a Naxal landmine blast at Perimili, near the Maharashtra- Chhattisgarh border. This also resulted in the death and injury of security personnel.
Naxal attacks and police deaths have always captured media attention but nothing has ever been written about the number of Naxalites killed during such incidents. This one sided coverage stems largely from general perception of Naxalites as the opposition force. This may be true to some extent, but a lot of Naxalites are actually peasants and tribals fighting for their rights.
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