Demanding a judicial inquiry into the incident, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Jamuna Devi said: 'Police personnel don't discharge their duties in tribal areas efficiently, for they think that their posting in the area is a 'punishment' . Hence, delay in investigations on their part leads to resentment among tribals.'

The CPI also sent its inquiry committee, comprising of three members led by Haridwar Singh, to Dindori to look into the incident.

'The party has requested Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to give Rs.5 lakh to the next of kin of each of the deceased and Rs.1 lakh to the injured,' CPI state secretary Mahendra Bajpai told IANS.

The Bharatiya Gondwana Party (BGP) has demanded that criminal cases be registered against the police personnel who were involved in the killing of the tribals and Rs.10 lakh compensation and a job be given to a member of each of the families of the deceased.

'We will launch an agitation if our demands are not met by the government,' BGP's national general secretary Ramlal Tyagi said.