Maoists gun down boatman in Odisha

MALKANGIRI (ODISHA): In a most inhumanly act, suspected Maoists on Sunday gunned down a villager, who had ferried ration in his boat for security personnel in cut-off area of Odisha’s Malkangiri district.

According to reports, the incident took place at Spillway Launch Ghat in Chitrakonda in the district.

The deceased, identified as Shyam Pangi of Panasput village, was killed as the rebels suspected him to be a police informer, reports added.

Sources said around 10 armed Red rebels came to the spot by a motor boat and shot Pangi to death. His wife luckily escaped from the clutches for the ultras.

Pangi, after knowing he was in the hit list of Maoists, had left his native Janti village along with his family members and was staying at Pilobai village. He had also met Malkangiri superintendent of police and sought security for him and his family members. The police, however, claimed that security was provided to Pangi.

“He was selling ration near the ghat and we had alerted him that he was in the target of Maoists. Therefore, the district police had made a temporary arrangement for him (Pangi),” Malkangiri SP Jagmohan Meena said.