Chhattisgarh: Two villagers killed by Maoists in Bijapur’s Nelakanker Village

Preliminary reports suggest that a group of armed Maoists entered the village late at night and attacked the two men, killing them on the spot with sharp weapons: Police statement

Raipur: Two villagers were allegedly killed by Maoists with sharp-edged weapons in Nelakanker village of Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district late on Friday night, police said on Saturday.

The deceased were identified as Ravi Kattam (25) and Tirupati Sodhi (38), both residents of Nelakanker village (Representative photo)

The deceased were identified as Ravi Kattam (25) and Tirupati Sodhi (38), both residents of Nelakanker village, a statement issued by the Bijapur police said.

Preliminary reports suggest that a group of armed Maoists entered the village late at night and attacked the two men, killing them on the spot with sharp weapons, the statement added.

Police said the exact reason behind the killings is yet to be confirmed, but initial inputs indicate that the deceased may have been accused of being police informers.

A team of police officers from the Usur police station has reached the area, and verification of the incident is underway. “The information about the killings was received late at night. The matter is being verified, and a team has been sent to the spot to ascertain details,” an officer said.

With this incident, the total number of civilians killed in Maoist-related violence in the Bastar region this year has risen to 41.

The incident comes amid intensified anti-Maoist operations in Bijapur and adjoining districts, where security forces have increased patrolling and surveillance in interior villages across the conflict-affected Bastar region of south Chhattisgarh.