Raipur : The Chhattisgrah police on Friday dismissed allegations that six Maoists were killed in a fake encounter in Bastar, saying its “old tacitics” after the group issued a statement claiming that their cadres were rounded up and shot dead earlier this week.

The CPI (Maoists) have called for a ‘strike’ in Bijapur and Sukma on April 3 in protest against the alleged fake encounter.

Six suspected Maoists were killed after an encounter between the militants and joint teams of the state police and paramilitary forces in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district on Wednesday, three days after the left-wing rebels killed three civilians on the suspicion that they were informers.

Also Read: In Maoist-hit Bastar, an upsurge in aggression from both sides

Inspector General of Police, Bastar range, Sunderaj P denied the allegations and termed it as “old tactics” of the Maoists.

“It is the typical modus operandi of Maoists to level allegations against the security forces to puncture the credibility of security forces. Maoists conveniently forget that they are responsible for brutal killings of hundreds and hundreds of innocent civilians. Just to distract the attention from their inhumane behaviour they issue these kinds of statements. All concerned understand the reality that the Maoists are facing their extinction,” said Sunderaj said.

The Maoists have claimed that there was no crossfire between the Maoist cadres and the police.

Also Read: Six Maoists killed in Bijapur gunfight with security forces

“On March 27, 2024, in the village of Chipurmati, Bijapur district, our two party activists along with six villagers were subjected to a heinous massacre which was claimed as an encounter. We demand justice for the innocent villagers who were mercilessly killed… We demand the unconditional release of the innocent villagers who were detained,” a statement issued by by the South Bastar Divisional Committee of CPI ( Maoist) said.

The Maoists claimed that there were no armed groups present during the encounter, and there was no crossfire and the claim of seizing a large quantity of weapons, explosives, and daily use items was untrue.

“Our party activists, Gangi Para and Punem Nagesh along with another member, were attending meetings in the area to address community issues. Acting on information provided by police informants, they were ambushed and apprehended while they were asleep around 4 am on the day of the encounter and later killed,” the statement claimed adding that the others killed were villagers.

Meanwhile, a photograph purportedly taken on the same date, which shows a person with hands tied up and surrounded by security forces, is being widely circulated. The purported photograph resembles the face of one suspected Maoists killed in the encounter.

Reacting over the photograph , the IG said, “ I will gather information regarding authenticity and facts about it from the concerned units.”