KORAPUT : A Naib Sarpanch’s husband G Appa Rao was killed by Maoists at Potaba village in Talagolur panchayat under Pottangi police limits in Koraput district on late Thursday night.
According to sources about 30 to 40 armed Maoists of Andhra-Odisha Border Zonal Committee entered the village and called Appa Rao from his house. The Maoists took him to the outskirts of the village and tied him to a tree where they first brutally assaulted Appa Rao and then shot him dead in front of his younger brother Chandra Rao.
The Maoists also left two letters at the spot claiming responsibility for killing Appa Rao, who they claimed was a police informer and supporter of road construction work.
Sources said, a contractor was engaged in construction of road from Ampawalli to Mugunawalsa under Prime Minister’s Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) for the last few months and Appa Rao supported the work. Rao is the husband of Tala Golur Naib Sarpanch G Jaya.
The Maoists were opposing construction of the road and had in protest torched four construction vehicles, including two tractors, road roller and an excavator machine of the contractor at Mugunawalsa construction camp.
In another letter, Maoists issued death threats to three others for being police informers and supporting construction work. The threats have been issued to Chandra Rao, G Jogulu of Pedapadu and Raju of Padmapur village. No police personnel had reached the village till the report was filed. Meanwhile, BSF personnel have intensified combing operation in the region.
This is the third such incident in the district when construction camps were set on fire under Pottangi police limits in the last three years, sources said.