Maoists abduct 4 villagers in Odisha

Bhawanipatna: Maoists abducted four persons, including the village guard of Lakhpadar village in Lanjigarh block of Kalahandi district, informed South Western Range DIG, S Shyni today.

The four abducted persons have been identified as Babula Nayak, Raju Nayak, Khetra Harijan and Bisikeshan Harijan.

According to reports, 10-12 members of the outlawed outfit reached the village today afternoon and forcibly took the four with them.

Although the exact reason behind the abduction is not clear yet, sources believe that the red rebels might have kidnapped the villagers suspecting them to be police informers.

Meanwhile, police officials, SOG and DVF personnel have rushed to the spot after getting information and intensified combing operation in the area.

As per sources, the Bansadhara-Ghumusura-Nagabali division of the CPI (Maoist) is active in the area.

On February 16, a super class contractor, Siba Shankar Das was shot dead by Maoists near Pajibahali village under Lanjigarh block of the district. Das had taken the construction contract of Bijepur-Pajibahali road under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana.