RAIPUR: Atleast 10 villagers, including women sarpanch and deputy sarpanch, were allegedly kidnapped by Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district, police said.
The kidnapped woman sarpanch is the wife of a surrendered Naxal who was allegedly involved in Burkapal attack on Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in Sukma in April this year.
"A group of armed cadres stormed into Chintagufa village on September 16 night and kidnapped the villagers,"
Sukma Additional Superintendent of Police Jitendra Shukla told PTI.
As per the information, Chintagufa Sarpanch Podiyam Muye, her son Kosa, brother-in-law Komal, and the woman deputy sarpanch of the village are among atleast 10 villagers who have been abducted, he added.
Muye is the wife of Podiyam Pandu alias Panda (45), a janmilitia deputy commander of Maoists, who had surrendered in May this year, he said.
Panda, was allegedly involved in the attack on CRPF patrolling party on April 24 last in Burkapal area under Chintagufa police station limits wherein 25 personnel were killed, he added.
After his surrender, Panda had revealed crucial details about Burkapal incident besides the "high profile" urban network of Maoists, he said.
Moreover, recently Panda was helping the district administration in holding public grievances redressal meetings inside remote villages of Sukma, he said.
Frustrated with the move, Maoists have kidnapped his innocent family members along with other villagers.
Preliminary investigation has revealed that senior Maoist leaders, including Ramanna and Hidma, were behind the incident, he said.
"We are trying to trace their whereabouts through our local resources," he added.