Incident Summary:

10/27/2007: 18 Indian civilians were killed and three more were wounded when approximately 25 Naxalite (Indian Maoist) perpetrators fired small arms (likely assault rifles) at approximately 150 persons gathered to watch a cultural program after a football match sometime before dawn in Chilkhari, Jharkhand State, India.

GTD ID:
200710270002

When:
2007-10-27

Country:
India

Region:
South Asia

Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:

Jharkhand

City:
Chilkhari

Location Details:
At a football pitch in Chilkhari, Jharkhand State.

Attack Information
Type of Attack (more) Armed Assault
Successful Attack? (more) Yes
Target Information (more)
Target Type: Private Citizens & Property
Name of Entity Indian civilians
Specific Description Civilians gathered to watch a cultural program after a football match in Chilkhari.
Nationality of Target India
Additional Information
Hostages No
Ransom No
Property Damage No
Weapon Information
Type Sub-type
Firearms Unknown Gun Type
Additional Information
Suicide Attack?No
Part of Multiple Incident?No
Criterion 1 (more) Yes
Criterion 2 (more) Yes
Criterion 3 (more) Yes
Doubt Terrorism Proper (more) No
Additional Information Among the victims was Anup Marandi, son of former Jharkand Chief Minister Babulal Marandi, although the incident did not appear to be an assassination. The perpetrators, including several women, were dressed in the fatigues of Indian anti-terror paramilitaries and fled into the surrounding jungle following the attack.
Perpetrator Group Information
Group Name Claimed Responsibility
Naxalites No
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators 25
Number of Captured Perpetrators 0
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties 18 Fatalities / 3 Injured
Total Number of Fatalities 18
Number of U.S. Fatalities 0
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities 0
Total Number of Injured 3
Number of U.S. Injured 0
Number of Perpetrators Injured 0
Sources
“Rebels in India kill 17 at game,” New York Times, October 28, 2007.
Ranjana Shukla, “Maoist rebels kill 18 in attack on Indian village,” Agence France Presse, October 27, 2007.
“Report: communist rebels kill 17 villagers in east India festival attack, police say,” Associated Press Worldstream, October 27, 2007.