Samajwadi Party leader abducted, killed by Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur

Santosh had contested the recently concluded assembly elections in Chhattisgarh on Samajwadi Party’s ticket from Bijapur.

Updated on: Jun 19, 2019, 21:51:10 IST

HT Correspondent, Raipur | By Ritesh Mishra

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Suspected Maoists have killed a Samajwadi Party (SP) leader after abducting him from Marimalla in Chhattisgarh’s Left-wing insurgency-hit Bijapur district, police said here on Wednesday.

Santosh Punem was abducted from a construction site last evening (HT Photo)

Deputy inspector general (anti-Naxal operations) Suderaj P said Santosh Punem, the SP leader who also worked as a contractor, was abducted from his construction site in Marimalla on Tuesday late evening. “He was killed on Wednesday by a sharp-edged weapon by Maoists,’’ said Suderaj P.

Suderaj P said that Punem had contested the 2018 assembly elections in Chhattisgarh on an SP ticket from Bijapur. “The body has been recovered. The Maoists also set ablaze four vehicles which was engaged at the road construction site,”he added. The police said a combing operation has been launched in the jungles, where the incident took place.

Samajwadi Party spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary condemned the incident and said the ruling state government should ensure that justice was done to the affected family.

Punem’s murder comes over two months after Maoists detonated an improvised explosive device in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district on April 9 and killed Bharatiya Janata Party legislator Bhima Mandavi and four others. Mandavi was killed two days before the first phase of staggered national polls on April 11.

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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