Eight policemen accused of burning 160 houses in Chhattisgarh suspended

Back in March 2011, in Tadmetla village in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district, 160 houses were set ablaze. While civil society pointed fingers at the security forces, the state government accused the Naxals of razing the tribal village. Finally, after five years, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) submitted its report, holding the police and security forces responsible for the horrific incident.

In a statement released late Wednesday evening, Chhattisgarh government said it has suspended eight police personnel charged by the CBI in the case.

The statement says that the DGP has issued directives for suspending the eight special police officers, or SPOs, who are linked to the incident. They are now assistant constables in Dantewada and Sukma districts.

The CBI in its report has said that besides those charge-sheeted in the case, it has evidence of“involvement of 323 SPOs/policemen” and 95 Central Reserve Police Force/COBRA personnel.

Meanwhile, an administrative enquiry has been ordered by the state government in relation to the burning of effigies and protest staged by Bastar police against civil society activists on October 24.