CBI to probe 2013 Jiram valley attack

The Chhattisgarh government on Wednesday ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation enquiry into the 2013 Jiram valley attack by Naxals in which some prominent Congress leaders were killed.

In reply to a discussion on budget demand proposals of his department in the legislative assembly, acting Home Minister Ajay Chandrakar made the announcement.

The Bharatiya Janata Party government was serious about tackling the menace of Naxalism. Security forces were doing their job while development works were being carried out in the Naxal-affected regions, the minister said.

Speaking about the Jiram valley incident, the minister said it wasn’t just the Congress or the families of Nand Kumar Patel and Mahendra Karma who lost their near and dear ones, but the ruling party leaders too lost their good friends.

BJP members were deeply pained on losing the leaders like Patel and Karma in the Jiram attack, he added.

Naxals talk about ideology but terrorism does not have any ideology and the government was committed to drive the Naxals out of Chhattisgarh, he added.

Chandrakar, while speaking in the House, made a certain comment about the Congress (later expunged) which led to the Congress MLAs shout slogans, forcing the speaker to adjourn the House for five minutes.

Congress members boycotted the proceedings and sat on a dharna in front of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in the assembly premises.

Speaker Gaurishankar Agrawal asked them to take part in the proceedings, but they did not come back.

On May 25, 2013, Naxals ambushed the Congress leaders’ convoy in Jiram valley of Bastar’s Darbha region.

Thirty-one people, including state Congress chief Nandkumar Patel, his son Dinesh, former Union minister Vidayacharan Shukla, former leader of opposition Mahendra Karma and former MLA Uday Mudliyar were killed.

The Centre had roped in NIA for the probe.

The state government had also constituted a judicial commission.

Image: A file photo of security forces inspecting the spot after an attack by the Naxals on a convoy of Congress leaders in Jiram Valley, Chhattisgarh on May 25, 2013. Photograph: PTI Photo