Annual Report 2013-14 to try to form a first-hand impression of developments in the Bastar region, where the suffering is the most acute. It was clear to the Commission that the Naxals have now made it impossible to reach social welfare programmes to those who need them most. The plight of the poorest and the most vulnerable, on whose behalf the Naxals claim to have taken up arms, has therefore become even worse. Health and education facilities can rarely be provided; only the public distribution system is permitted to function, because a part of these food supplies sustain the Naxals. The children of these families, poor, ill-fed, illiterate, are the pool from which the Naxals recruit their cadres. For the Naxals, therefore, violence is self-serving. There is no just cause which they try to advance through it. The Commission is extremely concerned that the level of violence will rise again after this last attack by the Naxals as the State tries to arrest or kill those who were responsible. Police officers have confirmed to the Commission that the Naxals use villagers who are sympathisers as human shields when they are cornered. Other villagers have no option but to do what they are ordered to do by the Naxalites, but are then branded as supporters by the police and suffer the consequences. The Commission therefore urges the Central and State Governments to take every precaution possible to ensure that the innocent villagers of the region, already traumatised by the ongoing violence, of which they are the primary victims, do not suffer even more in any retaliatory operations against the Naxals.” The Commission has taken cognizance of the incident on the complaint received from Nishikanta Mishra, Advocate, Odisha High Court. He alleged that 30 persons, including some senior Congress Party leaders, were killed and 30 others seriously injured due to attack of a large number of armed Maoists in Bastar district of Chhattisgarh on 25 May 2013. It was alleged that the attack was a result of failure of intelligence agencies and inadequate security arrangements by the Government. Two more complaints were received on the same incident and they were clubbed with this case. 4.298 The Commission vide its proceedings dated 28 May 2013 issued notices to the Chief Secretary, Government of Chhattisgarh, DGP, Chhattisgarh and Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, New Delhi, calling for reports in the matter. 4.299 In response to the notice, the Under Secretary, Home Department, Government of Chhattisgarh forwarded a report of DIG, CID, Police Headquarters, Raipur stating that the State Government had constituted a One Man Commission for enquiry under the Chairmanship of Justice Shri P.K. Mishra of the High Court at Bilaspur. It was submitted that necessary action would be taken after the receipt of the report. NHRC | 81