Chhattisgarh: Jawan slain in Naxal ambush in Bastar

A joint security team comprising personnel of DRG and Border Security force (BSF) launched search operation in Kohkameta area in Abujhmad following intelligence tip off on the presence of armed Maoists including a member of the Central Committee (CC) of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) in the forest late on Wednesday afternoon.

A fierce encounter took place between them in the forest that lasted nearly six hours leading to killing of DRG head constable Birendra Kumar Sori (36).

In another development, two ex-sarpanches including a BJP functionary were killed by Maoists in Bijapur district under south Bastar.

The slain BJP leader has been identified as Suklu Farsa, the block-level head of the BJP farmers’ wing in Bhairamgarh.

Farsa was a former sarpanch of Aadwada-Biriyabhumi village in 2004-09.

He was abducted by a group of Maoists when he was attending a family function in his village and his body was found on the outskirts of the village on Thursday morning, police said.

The Maoists left a note near his body claiming responsibility for his killing.

The other slain ex-sarpanch has been identified as Sukram Avlam, the former sarpanch of Kaderh village in Bijapur district.

He was abducted by Maoists from his village of Shantinagar under Bijapur block and his body was recovered on the outskirts of the village on Thursday morning.