Raipur: An encounter which occurred on December 12 in Chhattisgarh's Abujhmad area, where police reported killing seven Naxalites, has sparked controversy following reports that four children injured, including a girl received a severe bullet wound. The girl is currently receiving treatment at DKS Hospital in Raipur.

The Congress Party has accused the police of reckless firing and mishandling the operation, while police blame the Naxalites for endangering civilians and minors.

On Wednesday, Congress leaders, led by CPCC President Deepak Baij, visited the injured girl and her family at the hospital. Baij alleged that five of the seven killed were innocent villagers and criticized the security forces for indiscriminate firing.

He claimed that villagers were harvesting ‘urad’ crops near the encounter site when the shooting began, causing panic. Baij accused the police of concealing information about the injured children and called for an investigation into the deaths of the five alleged villagers.

Baij also claimed the place where children got injured no encounter occurred. He alleged that the state government provided wrong information to the Union Home Minister Amit Shah about the encounter and also argued that the BJP government must take responsibility for the killing of innocent tribal men.

“Out of the seven killed, only two were Naxalites; the others were innocent villagers,” he stated, noting the serious condition of the injured children, particularly the girl who requires complex surgery for a bullet lodged in her neck.

Human rights activist Himanshu Kumar described the encounter as fake, alleging it was an intentional killing of tribal people and children under the guise of anti-Maoist operations. He claimed that tribal men and children were shot to intimidate them so that they give up their lands for corporate interests.

The police, however, denied these allegations, asserting that the encounter with armed Naxals in the Orchha area of Abujhmad was genuine. Bastar IG Sundarraj P. stated that the Naxalites used minors as human shields to protect a senior cadre member during the encounter.

“Four minors were injured by bullets fired by Naxalites during the encounter,” the IG said, adding that the injured children were initially treated with herbal remedies in their village before being taken to medical facilities by police.

The police also alleged that Naxalites had involved minors in carrying supplies and positioned them among villagers during the gunfight for protection.

Three of the injured children have been discharged after treatment at Maharani Hospital in Bastar, while the girl with a neck injury remains in critical condition in Raipur, with doctors describing her surgery as highly challenging.

This incident has intensified political tensions in Chhattisgarh. Earlier that day, the Congress Party held a march in Raipur to protest issues related to Adani and violence in Manipur. Following the demonstration, Congress leaders, including Baij, visited the hospital to address the concerns of the affected family.