Tribal leaders seek probe into police crackdown

Raipur, March 24 (IANS) Tribal leaders in Chhattisgarh Saturday sought a judicial probe into alleged police atrocities during a street protest in the state capital by hundreds of tribals to seek higher percentage of quota in government jobs this week.

Former union minister and leading tribal leader Arvind Netam told reporters that policemen cane-charged peaceful protesters March 19 in which dozens of tribals were injured. He said the police specifically targeted tribal leaders on instructions of the state government and a judicial probe would bring out the facts.

"It was unprovoked police assault on hundreds of tribal people who were marching to state assembly to press their demands. I was surprised that dozens of injured protesters were rushed to central jail instead of hospital after the brutal cane-charge," he said.

Netam was among the 75 tribal leaders who were arrested March 19 while leading the protest rally. The government released them unconditionally March 22, only after the opposition Congress created ruckus in the state assembly for two days over alleged police brutalities.

Sarv Adivasi Samaj, the group under which the March 19 protest was taken out, has also demanded high-level probe into the police action while the Congress has said it would launch a state-wide protest against brutal assault of tribals in Raipur.