The brutal killing of 6 innocent tribals by SOG Jawans in Kandhamal district, came as a major blow to anti-Maoist operation in Odisha. It was shocking to see the killing of a 15-month-old infant in his mother’s arms. There can’t be any justification to such brutality even if cops call it an “error of judgement” or “goof-up”.

And, this is not the first of its kind. Over the last 12 months, 11 tribals have succumbed to such firing by cops in Rayagada, Kalahandi and Kandhamal. Well, while no leniency can’t be shown to the jawans involved in such “error killing”, we must question the activists and intellectuals who are shedding crocodile tears today. Why don’t they condemn the killing of innocent tribals by the Maoists who dub them as ‘police informers’? Why they turn blind and deaf?

If we want to save the tribals, we need to denounce the Maoists first. They are the root cause of all problems. If tribals are being killed today in ‘crossfire’, it’s because of the dreaded naxals, who use them as shields and compel the forces to enter the peaceful hamlets.