Annual Report 2008-2009 Chhattisgarh due to violations committed by Salwa Judum. A public hearing was organized too at Cherla in Khammam District, while one day was earmarked to meet the villagers brought along by the petitioners at Dantewada. 4.57 The spot enquiry was conducted in two phases, during which the Fact Finding Committee looked into 168 specific allegations made by the petitioners. The Committee completed the enquiry despite the difficult terrain, inaccessibility of the villages, and hostility of the Naxalites. 4.58 The findings of the Fact Finding Committee revealed that formation of Salwa Judum was a spontaneous revolt of the tribals against years of atrocities and harassment suffered by them at the hands of Naxalites. Ever since it was started, there were many areas, both in Dantewada and Bijapur districts, which were previously inaccessible due to the presence of the Naxalites, but these were now under the control of the local police and security forces. The local police and the security forces had succeeded in reducing the prevailing tension between the tribals and Naxalites. 4.59 Since the support of the villagers was found to be an essential ingredient for the sustenance of Salwa Judum, the Naxalites, on the other hand, were also trying their best to win over the tribals who had joined Salwa Judum. The Special Police Officers (SPOs), recruited under Section 17 of the Police Act, 1861 and Section 9 of Chhattisgarh Police Act, 2000 also had a very vital role to play in curbing the menace of Naxalism in Bijapur and Dantewada districts. However, in some instances, the security forces and the SPOs prima facie seemed to be responsible for extra-judicial killings. It was indicated in the report that such instances need to be enquired into, for those acting on behalf of the State must act within the boundaries of law (howsoever grave the provocation) and be accountable. The State authorities were able to provide information relating to seven instances only in which criminal cases had been registered against the SPOs. It was learnt that 1,579 SPOs had been dismissed from the service for various misdemeanours. 4.60 Though the petitioners had listed a number of cases of killings, rapes and other crimes, hardly any of the alleged incidents had been verified by the petitioners themselves. Moreover, many of the allegations were found to be based on hearsay. Allegations leveled in the petition against Salwa Judum were prima facie true to the extent of burning of houses and looting of property. The allegations against Salwa Judum with regard to a large number of killings were not found to be true. During the enquiry of some specific allegations, the Fact Finding Committee did not come across any case of rape which could be substantiated. 4.61 On the other hand, it was ascertained that the Naxalites had not only selectively killed Salwa Judum leaders and supporters, but they were also responsible for the indiscriminate killing of many tribals and security personnel. During the course of the enquiry it was revealed that many villagers were found to be missing. It was, however, not clear whether they had joined the Naxalites, or were hiding in the jungles, or had moved out of Chhattisgarh, or had since been killed. 36