"Since the Ganesha idol fell from the top of the Dholkal mountain, different stories regarding the incident appeared in print and electronic media. Police deliberately fabricated a conspiracy to defame the Maoists and are making false claims that Naxal were behind the incident," said a purported Maoists' press statement being circulated on the social media today.
The photo of the one-page statement issued in the name of Ganesh Uike, secretary of the South Sub Zonal Bureau of the banned outfit yesterday, was being circulated on a social messaging platform.
The vandalised Ganesh idol, which is presumed to be 1000 years old, was found at the bottom of the hill located in remote forest of Dantewada district on January 28.
After some locals who had gone on January 26 to visit the place reported that the idol was missing, a team of police and district administration recovered the broken piece of the idol.
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Dantewada Superintendent of Police Kamlochan Kashyap had then claimed that Naxals were involved in the incident.
However, Chhattisgarh's tourism and culture minister Dayaldas Baghel had said prime facie the crime appeared to be committed by some "anti-social" elements and an inquiry was initiated into it.
News reports are being published that Naxals could be
behind the incident to register their protest against the recent alleged attack by "goons of state-sponsored" 'Agni' (now disbanded group which was taking anti-Maoist agitation in Bastar) on the house of social worker Bela Bhatia who is engaged in work of protecting peoples' rights, it said.
It was nothing just a conspiracy of ruler section, the statement claimed.
Meanwhile, the newly appointed Inspector General of Police (incharge) Bastar Range Sundarraj P told