A court in Chhattisgarh on Friday acquitted 121 tribals booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for allegedly assisting Maoists in the 2017 Burkapal attack.
A National Investigation Agency court in Dantewada pronounced the acquittal order, paving way for the tribals to leave jail after 5 years, reports Hindustan Times.
The court said the prosecution failed to prove that arms and ammunition were recovered from the accused during the time of arrest and that they were present at the spot of the ambush.
On the evening of 24 April 2017, the 74th battalion of Central Police Reserve Force (CRPF) came under heavy firing from Maoists, 100 meters from Burkapal village, killing 25 personnel including an inspector-rank officer.
Chhattisgarh police registered a case at the Chintagufa police station and booked 120 tribals. Among them, seven were minors and released earlier while one died during the trial.
A woman was later booked in the case, taking the total number of arrested to 121.
