Maoists kill ‘police informer’ Naib Sarpanch in Odisha

Balangir:A Naib Sarpanch in Bagdore gram panchayat area in Odisha’s Balangir district was allegedly killed by Maoists who suspected him to be a police informer, police said today.

A group of armed ultras stormed into Dharuakhaman village under Belpara block and caught Naib Sarpanch Alekh Majhi (35) when he was returning from his brick kiln with a relative on a motorcycle late last night, they said.

The red rebels then took away Majhi after tying both his hands accusing him of operating as a police informer and collecting money from people in the name of Maoists.

Later, they shot him dead on the outskirts of the village, the police said.

The ultras left some posters and leaflets at the site in which the slain Naib Sarpanch was described as a police informer, they said.

Balangir SP Deepak Kumar, however, said the deceased Naib Sarpanch had no link with the police.

In protest, the Patnagarh Kantabanji road was blocked by the ‘Adivasi Sangha’ in Salepali village for sometime today. The Sangha demanded Rs 50 lakh as compensation to the family members of the deceased. The blockade was lifted after intervention of senior police officers.