Martyrs dishonoured; uniforms shoes dumped in trash

New Delhi: In a shameful incident, uniforms and shoes of the 14 CRPF troopers killed in Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district, were found dumped with hospital waste on Wednesday. 

It comes a day after Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh paid homage to the paramilitary jawans.  The dresses and the shoes of the personnel were scattered among the garbage behind the state’s largest government hospital – Bhim Rao Ambedkar Memorial Hospital in Raipur. 

Commenting on the incident, state Congress President Bhupesh Baghel said: “This is unbelievable! How could the state machinery turn so indifferent and show disrespect to our jawans who laid their lives for the nation and for our security. It clearly shows how insensitive the state administration could become barely a day after tributes were offered to the departed soldiers.” 

The opposition leaders picked up four uniforms and 10 pairs of shoes from the garbage and brought them to the Congress Bhawan, where floral tributes were laid as a mark of respect. 

Meanwhile, despite repeated attempts, the state BJP did not respond on the incident. Earlier in June 2011, the Dantewada administration could only find a municipal garbage truck to ferry the bodies of three policemen killed in a landmine blast triggered by Maoists near Kirandul. 

Though the treatment shocked many, the government put forth weak excuses by saying the vehicle was clean and was the best they could do to reach the far-flung place. 

According to Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) the uniforms have to be handed back to the force, but in case of slain officers the uniforms have to be given back to the families. 

The incident happened in Sukma district, 450km from state capital Raipur on Monday. This was the biggest attack on the CRPF this year. The Naxals had used locals as a human shield, ambushing the CRPF team near a village, said official sources.