UMERKOTE/BHUBANESWAR: Maoists shot dead a man at Laxmanpur village in Raighar block of Nabarangpur district on Friday night accusing him of being part of the timber mafia that was allegedly destroying forests in the region. The 38-year-old Narayan Nagesh was shot dead by a group of 30 rebels in front of his house.
Before leaving the village, the Maoists, claiming to belong to the Mainpur-Nuapada divisional committee, left some posters near Narayan’s body stating the reason behind the murder. They alleged Narayan was a part of the forest mafia and warned others to refrain from chopping trees in the forest.
Forest mafia comprising people of other states are felling trees and threatening tribals, who oppose them, by using the police and the administration, a poster stated. Narayan was warned in the past through the posters issued by the members of the Bhakpa group but to no avail, another poster read. The posters have also mentioned the names of eight to nine other persons for allegedly felling trees in the forest.
On being informed, a Raighar police team reached the village on Saturday and recovered Narayan’s body. The body was handed over to the victim’s family after the autopsy. Raighar IIC Pramod Nayak said the rebels also issued a threat to nine locals of dire consequences if they cut trees in the forest.
Earlier on February 24, the Maoists had killed one Chandan Mallik (42) of Khalepara village in the block alleging he was a police informer. Again on March 9, Narad Markam (45) of Chamenda village in Chhattisgarh, around 2 km from the Odisha border, was killed by the rebels on a similar allegation.
After the latest incident, police have intensified patrolling in Laxmanpur village. Besides, joint combing operations by personnel of Odisha and Chhattisgarh police have been launched in the border areas of the district, said Umerkote SDPO Suvendu Soboro.
South Western Range DIG Pandit Rajesh Uttamrao told TNIE that the ultras are targeting innocent civilians, and operations are being carried out at regular intervals to curb the Naxal menace in the region.