KORAPUT: In yet another incident of Maoists unleashing violence on villagers, the body of a former Naib Sarpanch, with his throat slit, was found in Kandho Tikarapada village under Bandhugaon police limits on Friday night. He has been identified as Krishna Miniaka, who was killed on suspicion of being a police informer.
In a letter written in Telugu, Srikakulam Koraput Divisional Committee of the Maoists has claimed responsibility for the killing.
Sources said about 20 armed Maoists entered the village late on Friday and called Miniaka out of his house. They later dragged him to a nearby forest, where they killed him.
The letter, which was recovered from the spot, alleged that Miniaka was playing a key role for the surrender of Chasi Muliya Adivasi Sangha members and he was a home guard.
The killing took place barely 10 hours after DGP K B Singh left the district after reviewing security and within 24 hours of the murder of a trader, Rohini Nachika, by the Maoists in Narayanpatna.
The DGP was here to review the law and order situation in Maoist-affected areas of Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Rayagada and Nuapada with senior officials of South-Eastern range. Singh stressed on tactful operations in areas bordering Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh.
After lying low for nearly two years, the Maoists have begun spreading terror in the area, sources said.
Meanwhile, the BSF and SOG personnel have intensified combing operation.
Sub-divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Laxmipur police station, Hemant Padhi said Krishna Miniaka was former Naib Sarpanch of Kabribadi gram panchayat of Bandhugaon block and confirmed that he was a police informer.
A few days back, a trader of Dandabadi village, Bapi Samant, was gunned down by Maoists branding him a police informer. This apart, two BSF personnel were killed in a landmine blast triggered by Maoists in Kalijhula village under Boipariguda police limits recently.
Encounter in Angul Forest
Angul: An exchange of fire between the police and the Maoists was reported in Tapdole forest under Takaurgarh police limits area on Saturday. The forest is adjacent to Satkosia sanctuary where an armed encounter occurred last month. Confirming the encounter, a senior police official said a combing party of CRPF and SOG personnel ventured into the forest, which is used by the ultras as transit route. “At about 1 pm, the Maoists, who were on the top of the hill, saw the combing party and opened fired at them resulting in exchange of fire for about 15 to 20 minutes. No security personnel was injured while no information is available about the Maoists. Senior police officials have rushed to the spot, the official added. It is believed that the rebels changed their transit route to this part of the forest after intense combing operation was launched in Satkosia sanctuary. On learning about their new strategy, police launched combing in Tapdole resulting in the encounter, sources said.