Maoists kill son of BJD leader in Odisha

Barely three days after the killing of a former Naib Sarpanch in Malkangiri district, armed Maoists killed the son of a ruling Biju Janata Dal leader and block chairman in Bolangir district early on Wednesday, police said.

About 30 heavily armed ultras, including women, struck at the house of Khaprakhol block Chairman Ganeshram Bhoi at village Sanaguchibhata in the wee hours looking for his son Sashiram Bhoi, 42, they said.

On being told by the family members that Sashi was away, the Maoists went out but re-entered the house soon to find Sashi inside and tied him to a pole after overpowering his brother and others, they said.

The red rebels thrashed Sashi with rifle butt before killing him with a bayonet, a police official said adding Ganeshram was not present when the incident took place.

The ultras left a poster written in Odia and bearing the name of Bargarh-Bolangir-Mahasamund Divisisional Committee of Communist Party of India (Maoist) which accused Sashi of exploiting naxals and misusing their name for his own benefit, the official said.

Combing was intensified in the area by the security forces after the killing, which was the third in Patnagarh sub-division of Bolangir district this year, he said adding Ganeshram Bhoi had received threats from the red rebels earlier.

The killing came three days after the Maoists gunned down a former Naib Sarpanch of Markapadar in Malkangiri district suspecting him to be a police informer.

Barely a week ago, members of People's Liberation Front of India (PLFI) shot BJD leader and former Rajgangpur chairman Hardeep Singh dead.

On Monday, Maoists abducted two tribals of Elengabalsa village in Koraput protesting the arrest of two of their supporters. 

A group of armed ultras set ablaze several road building machines in Orkel area of Malkangiri district on Tuesday, sources said.