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It was between eight to nine in the night on November 14. A gang of marauding Maoists arrived at village Khuripani under Khaprakhol block. The armed ultras invited Krushna Punji, his wife and son to a praja court. a kind of Kangaroo court where decisions are pronounced instantly and punishments implemented on the spot. The kangaroo court pronounced that Krushna was a police informer and providing information on the ultras to the khaki personnel who are sworn enemies of the naxal movement. The Maoists asked Padma Punji, son of Krushna, and his wife to go back after thrashing him mercilessly. Then they tied up Krushna and pulled the trigger from point blank range. Krushna died on the spot naturally.
Before scurrying away the Maoists left a poster. Through the poster the ultras have threatened that panchayat samiti member Govind Barik would meet the same fate unless he mends his way. Govind however said that he was unnerved and the threat ploy was stage-managed by his political rivals for he has no enmity with the ultras nor does he works for the police.
Krushna Punji`s brutal killing reminds the killing of Kishore Panda in the same fashion about three months ago. The day was August 14. The ultras that night also invited Kishore Panda and his son Kanhu Chatan Panda to attend a kangaroo court. The son was left after he was beaten black and blue. Kishore was labelled as a police informer and he had to be punished. That meant he was to be shot dead. Kishore was close to Bolangir MP Kalikesh Singh Deo, son of planning and coordination minister A U Singh Deo.
While A U Singh Deo expressed concern over the rise in killing of panchayat level politicians by the ultras in his hometown and the district, the district superintendent of police Avinash Kumar has assured that security would be definitely provided to those leaders who demand security. But there are very few who buy the assurances of the SP.
