AAP leader Soni Sori, social activist Bela Bhatia and several villagers were booked for allegedly violating the model code of conduct in force for the September 23 Dantewada bypoll, police said on Saturday.
A case was registered on September 16 under section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of Indian Penal Code against Bhatia, Sori and 150-200 villagers on a complaint filed by Station House Officer (SHO) of Kirandul police station, Dantewada Superintendent of Police Abhishek Pallava told PTI.
In his complaint, the SHO has alleged that Sori and Bhatia, along with villagers, staged a protest against the killing of two suspected Maoists in an encounter that took place on September 13.
The accused had not taken permission for the protest held on September 16, the SHO's complaint added.
Sori and other protesters demanded that the security personnel involved in the encounter be charged with murder, an official said.
They also demanded the release of a person identified as Ajay Telam, who they claimed was illegally detained by the police, he said.
According to police, on the intervening night of September 13 and 14, two Naxals, identified as Lachhu Mandavi and Podiya Sori, were killed in an encounter with security forces near Gumiyapal village in Kirandul area.
Police officials denied that the encounter was fake, and said Telam had himself contacted police seeking protection from Naxals.
Reacting to the FIR, Bhatia said police was acting against her and the villagers instead of probing the "fake encounter".
"Police has accused us of mobilising and instigating villagers. They had come on their own to protest against the fake encounter. The protest was peaceful," Bhatia claimed.
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