Allegations against force stereotypical: CRPF chief

New Delhi, July 2 (IANS) The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Monday dismissed allegations that its anti-Maoist operation had led to the killing of innocent villagers in Chattisgarh last week, terming the claims "stereotypical".

CRPF Director General K. Vijay Kumar also defended his men and the operation against Maoists saying they had only retaliated after being fired upon.

"All the allegations are stereotypical... talking about the loot, rape, outraging modesty. They spill all this into the public mind and create a sense of suspicion. It is not a good thing. Our force is very decent and they conduct themselves with extreme respect," Vijay Kumar told a television news channel.

His defence of the security forces comes after human rights activists targeted his force over the June 27-28 operations in Bijapur and Sukma in Chattisgarh that led to the killing of 17 people, whom the rights activists claimed were innocent villagers.

"CRPF is for the country and it is going into the so-called 'liberated' area and we have a job to do," the CRPF chief added.

With regard to victims having been hacked brutally, he said: "This is not part of our DNA at all. If you look at the incidents that have happened in other places, we don't indulge in these kind of brutal, primitive kind of torture."

Vijay Kumar also dismissed charges that the CRPF was hasty in carrying out the operation, and said the force worked in conjunction with the local police and had declared whatever they had found at the spot.

The officer noted by the own admission of the rights activists, some of the people gathered there were Maoists.

He said that bullets were fired upon the security forces and resulted in the injury of the personnel. The bullets clearly proved that these had been fired by Maoists, as the security forces do not use such weapons, but the Maoists do, he added.

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