Chhattisgarh: Village in Sukma gets electricity after 30 yrs on Independence Day eve

A village in Chhatisgarh's Sukma district was given the gift of electricity on the eve of India's 74th Independence Day. Minpa, a small village in the Naxal-dominated district of Sukma, had been cut off for over three decades. On Saturday, the village finally received electricity. 

News agency ANI quoted Sukma Superintendent of Police Sunil Sharma as saying, "We set up our camp in Mimpa village on January 1, 2021. Following this, infrastructure development works were started. The construction of road and bridges are going on. Electricity service was restored in Mimpa village on Saturday. All households are now connected to the electricity grid. Bulbs have been distributed. The Independence Day eve brought new hope for the villagers."

A long history of confrontation with Naxals

Apart from the COVID-19 pandemic stalling development work in Minpa, the village has been long affected by Naxal-induced violence. Traditionally, it has been a strategic meeting point between Naxalites and Indian security forces, who successfully established their camp there. Notably, security forces had taken a similar approach in 2013, but had to vacate the camp after two personnel were killed by Naxalites. Last year on March 21, Naxals in Minpa village attacked 17 District Reserve Guards (DRG) and severely injured 14 personnel.

To make sure that Naxals do not intervene in the village's development works, at least 1,000 security personnel from different forces were deployed in the region. Personnel from District Reserve Guards (DRGs), Special Task Force, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and special police unit CoBRA have been present near the site to avoid any kind of obstruction.

Speaking to ANI, Inspector General of Police Bastar P Sundarraj had said, "Minpa village is strategically very important for us as around 30 years ago it was on the state highway. Due to the Naxal stronghold, the road and economic activities in the area were shut. Earlier in 2013, we tried to establish a camp here at the village but due to the stronghold of Naxals, we withdrew the camp. We lost two security personnel in Minpa in 2013. In December 2020, we started establishing a new camp in Minpa. We are now constructing a road connecting the Chintagupha, Burkapal and Chintalnar village which lies on Dornapal - Jagargunda axis."

(With inputs from ANI)