Congress worker killed by Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district: Police

The victim was distributing rice to other villagers at a ration shop in Usoor village when five unidentified persons attacked him and killed him on the spot

Published on: Oct 20, 2024, 14:46:55 IST

By Ritesh Mishra

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

The Maoists have killed a Congress worker who was a former deputy-sarpanch of a village in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district on Saturday, police said.

Police said that the incident took place at a ration shop at around 4pm on Saturday. (Representational image)

Police said that the incident took place at around 4pm at a ration shop in Usoor village, which comes under Usoor police station area.

Bijapur superintendent of police (SP) Jitendra Yadav said that victim, Tirupati Bhandari (35) was a former deputy sarpanch of Maoist-affected Murudbaka village, but he started living in Usoor a year ago, after the Maoists threatened them to leave the village. Bhandari served as the general secretary of the Congress party’s Usoor block unit.

“On Saturday, when the victim was distributing rice to other villagers at a ration shop in Usoor village, five unidentified attackers attacked him and killed him on the spot,” said Yadav.

The accused then fled from the spot.

“No Maoist phamplets have been recovered from the spot till now but prima facie evidence suggests Maoist involvement in the incident, but all possible angles are being thoroughly investigated,” said the SP.

A police team from Usoor station reached the site and sent Bhandari’s body for a post-mortem examination.

This killing follows a series of Naxal attacks in the Bastar division, a region comprising seven districts, including Bijapur. Between January 2023 and April 2024, nine BJP leaders were killed in separate Naxal-related incidents in the area.

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

Home/Cities/Others/Congress Worker Killed By Maoists In Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur District: Police