Chhattisgarh: 30-year-old teacher killed by Maoists in Sukma district

Laxman Barse was allegedly attacked with sharp-edged weapons by a group of Maoists in Silger village of Sukma district

Raipur: A 30-year-old teacher was killed by Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district on Wednesday evening, police said.

His family members were also assaulted when they tried to intervene, a statement issued by the police said. (Representative photo)

Laxman Barse was allegedly attacked with sharp-edged weapons by a group of Maoists in Silger village around 7.30 pm. His family members were also assaulted when they tried to intervene, a statement issued by the police said. “Further legal action is being taken by the Jagargunda police. Detailed information will be shared later,” it added.

“Though the motive is unclear, Maoists have repeatedly targeted civilians, particularly those accused of acting as police informers,” an officer said.

According to police, the civilian death toll from Maoist violence in Bastar has risen to 30 this year. Two teachers were killed in Bijapur’s Farsegarh area on July 14, while two men, including a teacher, were murdered in Dantewada in February.

Addressing the acute shortage of teachers in Maoist-affected areas where government schools had remained closed for years, teachers were posted as temporary shikshadoots in 2019.

In Sukma’s Konta block, schools were reopened from 2018 under the district administration. A local survey that year found 113 schools closed and around 26,000 children out of school. By 2021, 97 schools had reopened, and today the number stands at 107.

In Bijapur, more than 400 schools were reported closed; the first reopened in 2019 at Panmur village, and the tally has now crossed 300. In Narayanpur, the first reopening was recorded in Rekawaya village in December 2024, though a complete survey of closed schools there is still awaited.

The teachers alleged that they had sought life insurance cover from the Sukma administration two years ago but received no response. They also raised concern about job security. “We have been working under very risky situations. But once normalcy is restored, we will be thrown out of our job. We don’t have any job security. The state has recruited teachers multiple times since 2018. Many of us have D.El.Ed (Diploma in Elementary Education), which make us eligible for regular appointments,” a teacher said, requesting anonymity.