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A note from Himanshu Kumar, director of Vanvasi Chetna Ashram

Dear friends,

When three of our volunteers Chhabilal, Somu and Hulsi were returning from Lingagiri village to go to their respective villages for celebrating Rakhi festival, they were stopped and beaten up by Naxals on the way.

They told the Naxal activists that they are volunteers with Vanvasi Chetna Ashram and they are helping people of Lingagiri to start their lives once again since they have returned to their home after a gap of 3 years but the Naxals did not listen to them.

Hulsi, the lady volunteer was not touched but both the boys were slapped and their mobile phones were taken away. Naxals said that they suspect them to be SPOs and if it was found that the story they are telling about being VCA volunteers is not correct then they will be further punished

As you know 8 people including a VCA volunteer Sukhlal still remains in jail after a week. Sukhlal had escorted these villagers from Nendra and nearby villages, where VCA volunteers are living and working as Human Shield with Nendra villagers from last more than a year. Draconian CG Public Security Act has been slapped on all these people.

Lingagiri was the second village to be adopted by the VCA Human Shield volunteers.

Meanwhile 6 girls who were raped by Salwa Judum goons and SPOs in Samsatti village and who have filed a case with the help of VCA were threatened by the SPOs and have been forced to leave their village and are now camping in VCA camp near Dantewada

Another VCA activist Kopa Kunjam's house was searched and he was beaten up near Dantewada last week by police. He was asked to disassociate himself from VCA otherwise he will have to face similar beatings in future, he was warned.

All these informations are for appropriate action from your side. We need your help

Sincerely
Himanshu Kumar
Vanvasi Chetna Ashram
Camp : Dantewada
09425260031

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