A group of Maoist militants hacked to death an assistant constable in insurgency-riddled Bastar region, police said on Tuesday.
Kondagaon Superintendent of Police D Shravan, informed that the brutal killing took place at village Iragaon in Kondagaon district when the policeman was returning to work place after having dinner at home Monday night. The 32-year-old lokesh died on the spot when the Maoists who were estimated to be 4-5 in numbers, repeatedly attacked from behind with axes. The murder created panic in the area and locals observed a shutdown on Tuesday to protest the killing.
The Kondagaon SP said that police have launched a major drive to apprehend the killers who are reportedly hiding in nearby forests.
The tribal youth lokesh was earlier working as Special Police Officer (SPO) and was absorbed only last year as assistant constable in Chhattisgarh police. Kondagaon is one of the seven districts which make up a 40,000 sq km Bastar region where in forested interiors Maoists run a de facto Government since late 1980s. The rebels have carried out a number of deadly attacks in Bastar region in recent years and its latest attack came in only the last month.