The release of photographs showing dead bodies of Naxals, including women, being carried by security personnel, with their hands and feet tied to bamboo poles, following an anti-Naxal operation in West Midnapore in West Bengal, today came in for sharp criticism with even the ministry of home affairs (MHA) expressing its disapproval for the ?animal-like? manner in which the dead bodies were being carried.
?We understand that deep inside forest areas, the security forces, at times, do not have any other option of carrying back dead bodies than the one that has been shown in the pictures. However, once they come out of the forest area and are closer to habitation, they should use stretchers to carry the bodies,? a senior official in the MHA said.
?The way those bodies were being carried was simply inhuman. A few years back, we had expressed outrage over the undignified treatment of dead bodies when similar pictures of Bangladesh Rifles carrying dead BSF men had appeared,? another MHA official said.
The MHA, sources said, had already communicated its displeasure to the CRPF and the West Bengal police for both the inhuman treatment of the dead bodies and for letting these photographs get released. ?There is still some doubt on whether the CRPF men were carrying those bodies or the Bengal police and on whether an official photographer took these pictures or many photographers were allowed. Even as those details are being ascertained, the concerned forces have been told to be more careful in such matters,? a source said.
Central Reserve Police Force?s (CRPF) Special DG Vijay Raman, who is heading the anti-Naxal operations, called the photographs ?gruesome?. ?I feel ashamed about what has happened and whoever has done it. I need to cross-check whether our boys were involved in this because once bodies and materials are recovered, the local police takes charge. I have doubts on whether our boys were involved,? said Raman.
?Those who died may have done things when they were alive but when a person is no more, due respect needs to be paid. Even if our men are found to be involved in this, we will take necessary action. This is no way to treat the dead,? he said.