Sarpanch killed by Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada

SP Dantewada Abhishek Pallava said that the reason behind the killing is yet to be ascertained.

Published on: Aug 31, 2019, 11:57:20 IST

Hindustan Times, Dantewada | By Ritesh Mishra

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A nominated sarpanch was killed by Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district on Friday night, police said on Saturday.

The incident comes right ahead of Dantewada assembly bypoll, which is scheduled to be held on September 23. There are 1,88,263 voters in the assembly, out of which 89,747 are males and 98,876 are females.

“The sarpanch of Chhotegurda, Lakma Mandavi, was killed by Maoists’ small action team at around 11 pm in the night. We have registered a case and launched a combing operation in the area,” said SP Dantewada Abhishek Pallava talking to Hindustan Times.

The SP said that the reason behind the killing is yet to be ascertained.

According to sources, Mandavi was a neutral person and was not linked to any political party.

“We have information that he was killed by a small action team headed by Pradeep, who is a member of the Malangir area committee of CPI ( Maoist ). Pradeep has been recently transferred to Katekalyan area committee. No Maoist pamphlet was recovered from the spot. It seems that extortion/ demand is reason behind the killing,” said a police source.

The incident comes right ahead of Dantewada assembly bypoll, which is scheduled to be held on September 23. There are 1,88,263 voters in the assembly, out of which 89,747 are males and 98,876 are females.

The assembly constituency has a total of 273 polling centres.

In the 2018 assembly election, BJP candidate Bheema Mandavi defeated Congress leader Devati Karma with a narrow margin.

On April 9, two days before the parliamentary elections in Bastar, Bhima Mandavi and four other accompanying him in a convoy of vehicles were killed when Maoist rebels triggered an improvised explosive device (IED).

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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