Outlawed rebels of the banned extremist organisation CPI (Maoist) have struck again in Jharkhand killing a former member of their squad in West Singhbhum district and torching several heavy vehicles engaged in Bauxite mining in Gumla district of the State.
After a brief lull in their activities the Maoists on Tuesday killed a former Naxal, Nelson Bhendra, near his house under Jeraikela Police Station area of West Singhbhum district. Although police are tight-lipped on confirming the killing a major search operation has been launched in the area to recover the body.
The former Maoist was reportedly brutally thrashed by the armed squad of the CPI (Maoist) before being killed by bullets. The rebels fled in the jungles after killing Bhendra. After getting information about the killing, police initiated a search operation in the Jeraikela PS area to recover the body. Senior police officials said that they have also received information about the killing of a former Naxal and have started a search operation for the body since Wednesday morning.
The deceased once used to be an active Maoist rebel in the notorious Saranda area, which has witnessed intense Naxal-sponsored violence in the past. He was released on bail two months ago from an Odisha Jail after being arrested on charges of extorting levy from a local company in Odisha.
Sources said that an armed squad of CPI (Maoist) attacked Nelson Bhendra's house late on Tuesday night and took him to a nearby forest area. He was said to be mercilessly beaten before being shot dead.
Earlier, in a separate incident on Monday night a squad of CPI (Maoist) hurled bombs and torched seven heavy vehicles at bauxite mining site in Gumla district. The incident took place under Ghaghra Police Station area, where massive destruction by Maoists was witness in the Bauxite Mines site of Hindalco Ltd.
Sources said that the rebels first bombed the site causing fear and stampede among the workers. They torched five Hyva vehicles, a truck, a pickup van and a water tanker at the mining site. While moving out of the area they left leaflets at the spot giving warnings with slogans like, “stop digging in the forests and mountains, stop working with machines”. They stated that no work can be done in this area without contacting the party (CPI-Maoist).
Police reached the spot on Tuesday Morning and started investigation. Sources revealed that the Maoists must have carried out the incident for the sake of extortion, which is common in the area among the CPI (Maoist) and other splinter organisations.
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