Last rites held for slain DVC, eight who were likely killed in Kasnasur

Nagpur: There seems to be some connection between the recent Maoists violence in Gadchiroli to avenge deaths of 40 of their cadres at Kasnasur-Nainer last year and villagers publicly performing last rites of the slain persons almost during the same period.
In the latest development, villagers of Gattepalli performed the ‘dinalk’, a ritual of the Madia community equivalent to tervi in Hindus, of Dolesh Madi Atram alias Sainath at the village on May 9. He was the divisional committee member (DVC) of the south Gadchiroli division when he was killed on April 22 last year at Kasnasur.
Ignoring any possible police wrath, the villagers also erected a memorial for Sainath and also put up a flag of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) on it.
On May 1, Maoists had set 27 vehicles of a road construction company on fire at Dadapur and later in the day triggered a blast killing 15 Quick Response Team jawans and a private vehicle driver near Lendhari nullah.
Around a fortnight ago, relatives of two alleged Maoist cadres, Pali Mahaka and Anita Madavi, had performed their Dinalk in which tribal community had assembled in large numbers.
On May 9, ‘Dinalk’ was also performed for the eight others from Gattepalli who too were likely killed in last year’s encounter. The Dinalk was attended by tribals from other adjoining villages in sizeable numbers.
Police department and Maoists too have been claiming that the eight villagers, who had left home to attend a marriage at Kasnasur, were killed in the firing. Body of only Bhujji Usendi could be traced and handed over to her family.
Activist Lalsu Nagoti, member of Gadchiroli district council, said the police department had collected blood samples of the families of the missing villagers but have not responded yet. “The state government is liable for this delay in relaying the outcome of the DNA tests for which samples had been collected around a year ago,” he said.
Nagoti demanded compensation of Rs one crore for family of each of the seven who are still missing.
There is no whereabouts of the bodies of the seven villagers. After few days of the encounters, police had buried some bodies which could not be identified.
When asked regarding the Maoist flag put up on memorial erected for Sainath at Gattepalli, Gadchiroli superintendent of police Shailesh Balkawade said police will deal with the issue within the framework of law.