Red strike in Kalahandi
BHAWANIPATNA :Maoists abducted three villagers and set afire the motorcycle of Special Police Officer (SPO) Prasanna Majhi of Karlapat village under Thuamal Rampur police limits in the district on Wednesday night.
The armed Maoists entered the house of the SPO, who is posted at Kengaon, and took away some documents from his house after terrorising his family members. While leaving, they abducted three persons __ Harihar Pradhani (25), Banmali Naik (32) and Sudarshan Naik __ of the village.
I Express
According to reports, 20 Maoists called for Prasanna but his wife informed them that he was not at home. They forcibly entered his house, took out his motorcycle and set it on fire. The Maoists warned his wife not to work against them, searched the house and took away some documents.
The Maoists then went to the house of Harihar Pradhani and called for him. When he came out, they directed him to follow them.
From there, they went to the house of Banmali Naik and asked him to come out. When his brother Sudarshan dared to question their motive, the infuriated Maoists took both the brothers hostage.
Sources said while Harihar is selling country liquor in the village, Banmali’s father and Sudarshan are working as gram rakhis. The duo could have been abducted on the suspicion of being police informers.
Kalahandi SP Brijesh Rai confirmed the incidents and said the Maoists wanted to terrorise the villagers. While patrolling has been intensified, search operation has been launched to trace the three villagers, he added.
In January, Maoists had put up posters at Dangabahali village of Kalahandi district asking people to boycott the Panchayat elections.
In September last year, they had abducted two persons from Salpang and Katang villages under Bhawanipatna police limits and a former sarpanch of Trilochanpur gram panchayat under Lanjigarh block in November, accusing them of being police informers. Later their bodies were recovered.