A 38 -year -old tribal person, who was one of the seven killed in an encounter between Maoists and security forces in Indravati National Park in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh on 5 June, worked as a cook in a government school in the local village for more than a year.
Police have said that all the seven killed were Maoists, including Cook, Mahesh Kudiyam. Kudiyam of Irapagutta village was a cook in a local school and was also a member of the National Park Area Committee of CPI (Maoist), he had a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his head, police said.
However, his family denied the allegations and told Bastar-based YouTube channel, Bastar Talkies that he was killed while he was grazing the cattle.
Bijapur Collector Sambit Mishra said that a fair magisterial investigation was being done in the incident.
After the exchange of fire on 5 June, the body of Sudhakar alias Gautam, a member of the Central Committee of Maoists, was recovered on the same day. In the next two days, six more bodies were recovered, including a Maoist Telangana State Committee (TSC) member, Bhaskar, as well as Kudiyam.
An official of the Bijapur Education Department confirmed the Indian Express that a cook was in a local school in Kudiyam National Park area and was hired in September 2023, a salary of Rs 2,000 per month. The official said he was on leave due to summer holidays.
An official statement issued by the Inspector General of Police for Bastar Range, Sundararaj P, also said that Kudiyam was a cook at the school, but he said that he was also a Maoist.
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“During the inquiry proceedings, it was confirmed that Mahesh Kodiam was a member of a party of the banned CPI (MAOIST) organization working in the Kodiam National Park Area Division, and had a clear relationship with the accused group. It is also coming to light that Mahesh Kodiam had worked as a assistant in the village of Erepagutta. Member of Gautam and Bhaskar, a member of the State Committee, is currently under investigation.
This statement has “urged to immediately separate all the relations associated with the direct or indirectly banned CPI (MAOIST) organization” in this statement “. It said, “Continuous relationship with this extremist organization is a serious threat not only for public safety and regional peace but also for the lives and future of the people involved.”
However, Kudiyam’s wife, brothers and some local residents spoke to Bastar Talkies YouTube channel and claimed that he was not a Maoist. Local resident Irma Vela told the channel, “Kudiyam School had only one cook and a peon. On the day of the encounter, he went to catch his cattle.”
Kudiyam’s wife Sumitra appealed to the government to provide assistance to the family as she was the only breadwinner. The couple had seven children. Sumitra told the channel, “How will I pick up these children from myself?”
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One of his four brothers, Ajay said, “I have studied up to class 6. I don’t know what happened. I worked as a cool in Andhra. I (day) later came and learned that he had gone to Buffalo and was killed.”
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