Cops say man killed in cross-fire, locals deny naxal presence

A villager was killed and another injured when they were allegedly caught in a crossfire between security forces and Maoists in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Bijapur district on Friday.

While the police said the security forces opened fire after noticing suspicious movement, locals denied that naxals were present at the spot.

The incident took place around 4 am near Pusgudi village under Modakpal police station area when a team of CRPF's 229th battalion was out on an area domination operation, said Superintendent of Police Kamlochan Kashyap.

"The patrolling team had laid an ambush in the forest, around 4 km away from Murkinar. Around 3 am to 4 am on Friday, when security forces noticed suspicious movement, they shouted, demanding to know the identity," the SP said.

"But they tried to flee from the spot following which security forces fired," he said.

Later, during a search of the spot, security forces spotted two men with bullet injuries and shifted them to a hospital in Bijapur.

One of them succumbed to his injuries while another is undergoing treatment, Kashyap said.

According to police officials, the deceased was identified as Dubba Kanhaiya, a native of Pusgudi while the injured was Yalam Dharmaiyya, a resident of the same village.

But another villager, claiming that he was at the same spot, said the security forces unilaterally opened fire and there were no naxals.

"I and three other villagers had gone to the forest adjacent to our village around 3 am to guard Mahua flowers from cattle. We were returning to the village while hunting birds (a customary practice among tribals) when suddenly we were fired upon.

"While I and another villager managed to escape, two others were hit by bullets," he said.

"There were no naxals. Security forces fired upon us from a close range," he alleged.