Abducted 'Gaon Sathi' shot dead by Maoists

Kandhamal: Basant Bhatta, the 'Gaon Sathi' of Durgapanga village in Kandhamal district, abducted two days ago was shot dead allegedly by Maoists on suspicion of being police informer near Satanalia under Baliguda police limits here.

The BGN (Bansadhara-Ghumusar-Nagavali) division of Maoists which left multiple posters' near the body of Basant Bhatta at Satanalia also warned other informers of similar consequences.

"The Gaon Sathi of Durgapanga faced the dire consequence as he was engaged in providing information to police about Maoists' activities. Other police informers would also face similar fate if they continue to work for police," the posters read.

"Kandhamal SP and the intelligence officers are responsible for the incident," they said through the posters, urging police not to play with the lives of innocent tribals.

Police seized the body and posters and started investigation. “We suspect Maoists’ role behind the killing. Kandhamal SP is verifying the case. We can confirm about the perpetrators only after investigation,” DGP RP Sharma told OTV over phone.

Meanwhile, local residents staged a road blockade near Durgapanga village demanding compensation for the kin of deceased.

Bhatta was abducted from his house at Durgapanga village in the early hours of Sunday, Kandhamal DSP Chandrasekhar Hota had informed on Monday.  About 15 armed men had come to his house in the wee hours and after a brief conversation took him away forcibly.

The ultras suspected him to be a police informer though Bhatta had not received any threats earlier, police said.

The police had also recovered Maoist posters in the village, which claimed Bhatta's abduction. The posters urged the people to support Maoists' 'Odisha bandh' on October 21 over the issue of Mahanadi water dispute with Chhattisgarh.