Maoists kill Congress leader

Karimnagar, September 27: After a long lull, Maoists struck in the district last night. They killed a local Congress leader B Sammi Reddy (43) at Edulapuram in Kalvasrirampur mandal.

According to the police, two unidentified men came to his house and took him to the village outskirts on the pretext of talking to him. Later, they were joined by one another at the village canal.

The trio shot him in the head and neck and later hit his head with a boulder.

Significantly, Kalvasrirampur mandal is the native place of Maoist district committee member Kankanala Raji Reddy alias Venkatesh.

Sources said Reddy has been involved in real estate business for the past few months. It was learnt he had acted as a middleman and settled a deal involving 350 acres. He himself purchased 20 acres in Kalvasrirampur mandal wherein Maoists had erected their flags earlier.

Maoists had warned him to retreat from the land or face dire consequences.

Meanwhile, a note in the name of CPI (Maoist) Peddapally area commander Ramesh found at the place of crime stated that Reddy was killed for being a `police informer’. “Despite repeated warnings to quit real estate business, he continued being middleman and this is one another reason for finishing him,’’ the letter said.

However, even after being informed of the killing, police did not dare to go to the spot fearing planting of bombs at the place by Maoists.

The locals shifted the body to Kalvasrirampur police station for inquest. Later, it was shifted to Sultanabad Government Hospital for post mortem.

Karimnagar Range DIG N Chandramouli and SP N Shivashanker Reddy visited Sultanabad hospital. Speaking to mediapersons, the police officials said Sammi Reddy was innocent and that Maoists killed him only to reassert their identity.

–Agencies–