Bijapur: Targeted killing of civilians continue to haunt Chhattisgarh’s Bastar divison as two more villagers were murdered by armed men of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) in violence-ridden Bijapur district.
The horrifying incident unfolded in Budgicheru village under Tarrem police limits of Bijapur on late Monday night, February 3, leaving the residents terrified. The slain civilians were identified as Raju Karrem, a resident of Talabpara and Madavi Munna a resident of Nayapara.
According to the details, the extremists brutally murdered Karrem and Munna by slitting their throats with sharp edged weapons, accusing both of them for working as informers of the police.
The development has been confirmed by the police officials who have now initiated an enquiry into the matter. The gruesome murder of villagers at Budgicheru marks 7th such incident of targeted killing of civilians carried out by the extremists in Bijapur district in the last two month alone, signifying the severity of the situation in Maoist-hit pockets of the district.
Recent incident of targeted killing of civilians in Bijapur
- Armed cadres of the banned group barged into the house of a 41-year-old villager in Keshmundi village on night of January 26. The ultras dragged Bhadru Sodhi out of his house and subsequently hacked him to death with sharp edged weapons, alleging him for espionage activities.
- In another similar incident, Maoists executed a 48-years-old villager in Hallur village under the Miratur police station limits of Bijapur on January 16. The slain individual was identified as Sukku Hapka, who was reportedly abducted from his house and paraded before a Jan Adalat, a self-styled court run by the extremist. Hapka was later strangled to death on similar charges of espionage. In a note recovered near the body of the deceased, the Bhairamgarh Area Committee claimed responsibility of Hapka murder.
- Maoists abducted 40-year-old Sukura Yellam from Loded village on night of December 7. She was subsequently taken to a jungle around three kilometers from their home and presented before a ‘Jan Adalat. Yellam was beaten black and blue before the extremists slit her throat in presence of hundreds of villagers. Her mutilated body was discovered on the outskirts of the village on the next morning. A note left by the Maoists alleged Yellam of providing intelligence to police.
- In another similar attack, Maoists stormed Timapur village and barged into the home of 45-year-old Laxmi Padam, an Anganwadi worker. The extremists alleged Laxhmi for being a police informer before strangulating her to death in presence of their family members. The responsibility of Lakshmi’s murder was claimed by Madded Area Committee.
- Two former sarpanchs (village heads) identified as Sukh Ram and Suklu Farsa were killed in separate attacks in Bhairamgarh and Named area on December 4. Both Sukh Ram and Farsa were abducted by the extremists after which their mutilated bodies were found on December 5.
Notably, more than 60 civilians were killed in separate attacks carried out by Maoist group in violence-ridden areas of State in the year 2024. This comes despite intensified campaign by the security forces in violence prone areas of the State, resulting in neutralisation of over 200 Maoists during separate operations last year.
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