ST Commission seeks report on firing incident on tribal

The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes has sought a reply from Gadchiroli district Collector in connection with an alleged attack by Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans on a resident.
Birsu Atram, a resident of Gatepalli in Etapalli Taluka, had complained to the Commission alleging that on September 20, 2015, he was fired at by CRPF jawans when he was returning to the village.
The complainant said that he was taken to police station and treated and was sent back the next day. He alleged that he was threatened by the force that if he divulged the incident to anybody, he would be implicated in a false case.

Upon receiving a complaint in this regard, the Commission had sent a copy of it to the district Superintendent of Police (SP), directing him to take action.
The Commission had written to district Collector on December 22, 2015, and sought a reply within one month. However, the communication drew blank from the official.
The Commission again wrote to the district Collector on May 9, asking for a reply within stipulated time.

"Taking into consideration the seriousness of the matter, I urge you to give an urgent reply," the letter signed by R K Dubey, Assistant Director of the Commission, said.

"The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes is a constitutional body and it is expected that a reply is filed by you within a particular period of time, otherwise we will be forced to exercise civil court rights to deal with the matter," it said.
In a separate letter to the district Superintendent of Police, the Commission asked the SP to take appropriate action in the matter as per its directives. It also asked the police official to submit the action taken report (ATR) within four weeks.