Glossary/ Abbreviations

Adivasi

Literally meaning "original habitant," a term used to refer to indigenous tribal communities in India

Ashram school

Government-run residential school in rural areas

Bal sangam

Village-level Naxalite children's association

Block

Administrative division. Several blocks make a district

CAF

Chhattisgarh Armed Force, under the control of the Chhattisgarh state government

CNM

Chaitanya Natya Manch,a street theater troupe organized and managed by Naxalites

CPI (Maoist)

Communist Party of India (Maoist), a prominent Naxalite political party

CRPF

Central Reserve Police Force, paramilitary police under the control of the Indian central government        

Dalam

Armed squad of Naxalites

Dalit

Literally meaning "broken" people, a term for so-called "untouchables"

DGP

Director general of police

District

Administrative division. Many districts make a state

District collector (DC)

Highest district-level administrative officer

Director general of police

Highest police official in the state

IED

Improvised explosive device

IRB

Indian Reserve Battalion, paramilitary police under the control of the Indian central government

Jan militia

Armed informers who travel with dalams

Naxalites

Term used to describe rebel groups in India that believe in the Maoist ideology

NCPCR

National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights

Patel

Village headman

PLGA

People's Liberation Guerrilla Army, standing army of CPI (Maoist) party

Sangam

Village-level Naxalite association

Sarpanch

Village official-head of the gram panchayat

SP

Superintendent of Police

SPOs

Special police officers, auxiliary police force

Superintendent of police

Highest district-level police officer

Tribe/tribal

Term used to refer to indigenous people in India