Chhattisgarh tribal family alleges school cook killed in encounter was not Maoist

Hindustan Times

22-06-2025

Bijapur (Chhattisgarh): A tribal family in Chhattisgarh's Maoist-hit Bijapur district has alleged that their sole breadwinner, a mid-day meal cook at a local government school, was killed in a 'staged encounter' by security forces- a claim the state police have rejected. Mahesh Kudiyan had been working as a mid-day meal cook at a local government school since 2023, according to his family and the school's headmaster. (Sourced)
On June 10, security forces said they had killed seven Maoists, including a wanted cadre named Sudhakar, during an operation inside the dense forests of Indravati National Park.Police said that among the bodies later identified was that of Mahesh Kudiyam, a 35-year-old resident of a remote village under the Madded block.
However, Mahesh's family alleged that he had no connection with Maoists and he was a cook at a local school.
Mahesh's widow, Sumitra Kudiyam, said, 'My husband had gone to the forest to fetch our cattle. By evening, he hadn't returned. Later, we heard from villagers that he had been taken by security forces and the next day, he was declared a Maoist and shown dead in the encounter.'
'He was innocent. We are poor but law-abiding. My children (seven, four of whom are school-going) keep asking when their father will return. I don't know how I will raise them alone,' she said.
Another villager, Irma Veladi, said, 'We saw security personnel take him from near the forest. He was unarmed, simply looking for his cattle. The next thing we heard was that he was killed as a Maoist. It is wrong.'
Ramesh Uppal, the headmaster of the local government school and Mahesh's employer, confirmed his identity and role in the school.
'Mahesh joined us as a mid-day meal cook in 2023. He worked regularly and earned ₹ 1,200 per month. He was last present at the school in April this year,' said Uppal.
However, the Bastar police in a statement on Sunday said that the killing took place during a series of anti-Maoist operations carried out in the National Park area of Bijapur district.
The operations, the statement said, were based on intelligence inputs and resulted in the recovery of seven bodies after exchanges of fire with Maoists.
Among the deceased were two top Maoist leaders — Gautam alias Sudhakar, a Central Committee member of the CPI (Maoist), and Bhaskar Rao, a State Committee member of the same group.
According to the press statement, one of the other deceased was identified as Mahesh Kodiyam, a resident of Irpagutta village under Farsegarh police station limits.
The statement said that, based on inquest proceedings, Mahesh was a party member of the banned CPI (Maoist) and was associated with the outfit's operations in the National Park division.
It further noted that Mahesh had worked as a cook assistant at the primary school in Irpagutta, appointed by the local school management committee, and had received wages until March 2025. The note stated that an investigation was underway to determine how he came into contact with top Maoist leaders like Sudhakar and Bhaskar Rao.
IG Bastar Range Sunderraj P, quoted in the release, said: 'The security operation was based on credible intelligence inputs and local-level information. Weapons, Maoist literature, and other items were recovered from the encounter site. Regarding Mahesh Kodiyam, available intelligence indicates his links with the outlawed organisation. However, if any suspicious or contradictory circumstances come to light, we are committed to conducting a fair and impartial investigation.'
The statement also reiterated a call to all individuals with direct or indirect links to the banned CPI (Maoist) to sever ties with the outfit, warning that continued association poses a threat not just to public safety but also to the lives of those involved.