NUAPADA: Five days after 30-year-old Antaram Rout was killed by Maoists on suspicion of being a police informer, his family was found to have left Dhekunpani, their native village. Villagers suspect the Routs may have fled in fear of the ultras, a claim district police refutes.
Antaram hailed from Chhattisgarh but was residing at Dhekunpani, located in Sunabeda Wildlife Sanctuary, for about five years. On August 18 night, a group of Maoists dragged him out of his house and took him to the nearby forest where he was shot before his body was dumped in the village.
While the incident left villagers panic-struck, Antaram’s family members including his wife and six daughters have left Dhekunpani. They reportedly shifted to the house of the deceased’s brother at Gerujhor village in Komna block, located 70 km away.
Though the exact reason for their relocation is not known, villagers suspect the family might have fled due to fear of the red rebels. A villager said, “The family is in a state of shock after Antaram’s death. They were planning to go to his brother’s place as they were not feeling safe here. We tried to convince them to stay but they left.”
However, Nuapada SP Pratyush Diwakar refuted the claims of the family left due to the fear of Maoists. “The report is not true. Since the wife and daughters of the deceased are now alone and there are no male members, they have shifted to his brother’s place. We are in touch with the family and if they feel any threat, we will make arrangements for their security,” said Diwakar.
After killing Antaram, the ultras had left a letter with his dead body in which they claimed his links with the police. They had also threatened other villagers not to help police in anyway failure which they too will face dire consequences. Meanwhile, the SP said police have started the paperwork to help the family get the ex gratia. Rout’s family could get Rs 4 lakh from the State government and some amount from the Centre.