Hidme's body to be exhumed for re-autopsy: fake encounter case of tribal girl

Soni Sori and Sanket Thakur informed that HC has ordered that autopsy should be video-graphed in presence of three member committee including chairperson of forensic committee of Jagdalpur Medical College, and doctors. The family members should be present while the body would be exhumed and other decisions over compensation and other demands would be announced after the autopsy report is submitted on Monday.

All this happened in the jungle of Sukma district in Chhattisgarh on June 13 when police allegedly raped; then killed her; made her body clad in Maoists uniforms; and declared it encounter. Chhattisgarh High Court assessed some foul play in the alleged incident of encounter.

The higher police officials are in perplexed after the court intervention. if the autopsy report on Monday to be submitted in high court is found not compatible to the police theory, the chief minister Raman Singh will be in trouble.

Madkam Hidme, 21, a tribal girl, who was married earlier this incident, had come to stay in her maternal home in Gompad village under Sukma district of Chhatisgarh. Her mother, relatives and the resident of village have alleged, “A team of Special Task Force of police lifted her forcefully on June 13.”

According to mother, “She was ill, but she was pounding the paddy to help in domestic work; meanwhile the police personnel barged in the house and began to lift her forcibly. I tried to prevent, but they kicked with boots and used the butt of guns on me. They dragged her nearby jungle. Some villagers were there in the wake of hunting when they heard my daughter’s scream, they reached with bows and arrows to help her; but the police drove them out.”

“On June 14, somebody on phone said with Gram Sachiv(Village head), ‘if you want the body of Madkam Hidme, reach to Kota police station.’ When I reached to police station with villagers, I looked that her body was wrapped in polythin was lying on road. Police said she was Maoist; she was killed in encounter. There were several cuts injury marks on her body. Whatever police may say, but I think she was raped by police. The villagers in jungle bush had looked her bangles fragments. On 15th of june, we buried her.”

According to police, Hidme was Naxal cadre and was the member of Kistram platoon no.8. She was gunned down near Gompad jungle. The matter was come in light after intervention of AAP leader and activist, Soni Sori. AAP and Cong both had desired to send their teams to know the real facts in the case, but the police hurdles barred him to reach the village. Soni Sori staged fast unto death after this.

As the photo graph of body came in media, there were surfaced many drawbacks in police statement. The family said when Hidme was lifted; she was in Sari; while her body was found in Maoist uniform.

Mr Sanket Thakur, AAP state convener filed an application on this ground in High Court. He presented before the court Hidme’s body photograph, in which she was in Naxal uniform; but the uniform was very clean and plain by press. Neither there were any marks of dust, nor there any shrinkage on cloth. There was looked no indication of encounter.  Most suspected thing was that 20 bullets were shot on her,  but there were no marks on the uniform riddled by bullets found. Thakur said this indicate that she was killed; then made her uniform clad.

Superintendent of police, EK ALESNA said, “The allegations has no significance and he has answer of every questions. Hidme was Maoist and she was killed in encounter. The body is dissected during autopsy.”