Maoist commander kills brother who joined police in Bastar

The deceased was a Maoist commander and had surrendered in 2014 in Bijapur.

Updated on: Jan 29, 2021, 22:51:10 IST

By Ritesh Mishra, Raipur

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A Maoist killed his own brother who had joined the police force after quitting CPI (Maoist) in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh, officials said on Friday.

The man’s family has alleged he was murdered, police said. (Representative photo)

The deceased, Somdu Ram Poyam alias Mallesh, was a district reserve guard (DRG) constable and was killed by his brother with sharp weapons on Thursday night at Kotrapal village under Jangla police station limits.

Mallesh was a Maoist commander and had surrendered in 2014 in Bijapur.

“Mallesh then joined the DRG and was working with the Bijapur police. A couple of days ago, Mallesh went to his village and on Thursday night his brother, Kosa, who is a jan militia commander of the Maoists killed him with the help of others,” Inspector General of Police, Bastar range, Sunderaj P told HT.

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The IG further said that Kosa came to his village along with a group of Maoists and killed his brother after thrashing him.

“Police reached the village on Friday morning and as per Mallesh family members. The family said that the Maoist set the victim's body on fire in front of them. We have launched a hunt for Kosa and others in the jungle,” said the IG.

On Tuesday, two villagers were allegedly killed by the Maoists in two villages of Rajnandgaon district under the newly formed the Maharashtra-Madhya Pradesh-Chhattisgarh (MMC) zone.

It is worth mentioning that in the last five days, Maoists killed six people, including a deputy sarpanch and a contractor, in three Maoist-affected districts of Chhattisgarh.

As per Chhattisgarh police records, total 36 policemen lost their lives in Maoist attack in Bastar in 2020 while 46 civilians were killed in a total of 308 Maoist-led incidents in Bastar last year.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

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