The body of one of the three villagers abducted by Maoists on March 15 from Karlapat village in Thuamul Rampur block of Kalahandi district was found 300 metre from the village on Saturday. The two others were released unhurt.
District Superintendent of Police Brijesh Ray said the body of Banamali Naik was found near his house while his brother Sudarsan Naik and one Hari Pradhani were freed unharmed. A Maoist poster was found near the dead body of Banamali.
Sources said the CPI(Maoist) Bansadhara-Ghumusar-Nagabali Divisional Committee is suspected to have kidnapped the trio on Wednesday night suspecting them to be police informers.
The SP said police forces were rushed to spot to investigate the incident and also, as part of standard operating procedure (SOP), to question the two other villagers who were left unscathed to verify the claims. However, a TV channel’s crew who reached the spot reported that no policemen were present at the spot.
To make matters worse, there is no mobile network in the area and the Karlapat police station has been abandoned. The slaying of the abducted villager by the Red rebels is suspected to terrorise the locals to toe their line so that they can operate freely in the area without passing of information about their presence or movement to the security forces.