Maoists on Thursday killed four persons on the second day of the shutdown called in protest against the alleged fake encounter in which their leader Azad died in Andhra Pradesh on July 2.
Armed rebels barged into a residence of a local Congress worker after midnight in Dantewada, 450 km from Raipur in Chhattisgarh, killing two and injuring two others.
The Dantewada police said more than a hundred armed Maoists stormed the house of Avdhesh Gautam, a Congress worker, and opened fire, killing one of his relatives and a servant. Though Gautam managed to escape, his wife and son were injured and rushed to hospital.
Gautam, a contractor, is a close confidant of the former Congress legislator Mahendra Karma, who had spearheaded a controversial anti-Maoist campaign — the Salwa Judum.
Maoists also hacked to death police constable Hari Narayan Singh near Medda in Bijapur.
In Narayanpur, the rebels attacked the CRPF base camp at Edka late in the night, said SP Rahul Bhagat.
In Latehar district, 140 km from Ranchi, Assistant Sub-Inspector Indradev Singh was killed in an exchange of fire between the security forces and Maoists. About six groups of rebels stormed a building near Hehegarha railway station at about 1.50 am, where one company of the special task force was stationed.
{{/usCountry}}In Latehar district, 140 km from Ranchi, Assistant Sub-Inspector Indradev Singh was killed in an exchange of fire between the security forces and Maoists. About six groups of rebels stormed a building near Hehegarha railway station at about 1.50 am, where one company of the special task force was stationed.
{{/usCountry}}The red brigade blew up the railway tracks on the Dhanbad-Gaya section, 175 km from Ranchi, minutes after the Howrah-bound Jodhpur-Howrah Super Fast Express train left the place.
DIG Arun Oraon said there was an adequate deployment of security forces at strategic locations along the railway tracks. “Maoists were able to target the railway tracks in Latehar district because it is surrounded by hills.”
The bandh hit life in Maoist-hit districts of the state. Private operators and the Bihar State Road Transport Corporation suspended their services.
(With inputs from Dhanbad, Latehar and Hajipur)