Blood-stained CRPF uniforms in garbage, Chhattisgarh orders probe

An embarrassed Chhattisgarh government Thursday ordered a magisterial inquiry after blood-stained uniforms and boots of killed paramilitary personnel were found in a garbage dump at a government hospital.

"Chief Minister Raman Singh has taken serious note of uniforms and boots found dumped in garbage at Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Government Hospital premises in Raipur on Wednesday and has ordered a magisterial probe," a government statement said Thursday.

Raipur Sub-divisional Magistrate Suresh Kumar Agrawal has been asked to conduct a probe into the matter and submit a report within 15 days.

The probe will focus on three angles -- the procedure of disposing of uniforms and other belongings of killed security personnel, how it was disposed of, and who were guilty of the incident.

The incident, described as a highly insensitive act of the local authorities, has put the Bharatiya Janata Party government in the state in a very embarrassing situation.

The opposition Congress collected the uniforms and boots from the garbage dump and took them to its state headquarters in Raipur where the party offered floral tributes before handing them over to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) authorities.

The state government ordered the probe after the issue created an outrage and union Home Minister Rajnath Singh telephoned Raman Singh to order an investigation to expose the people who dared to disrespect the 14 CRPF personnel who were killed in a Maoist attack Dec 1 in Sukma district.