A day before the banned CPI(Maoist) has called a bandh in five States, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra, on Thursday to protest against the Malkangiri encounter in which 30 Maoists were killed, Maoist violence has again struck Kalahandi district.
The Red rebels killed a former sarpanch by slitting his throat. The victim was identified as Jayant Majhi. According to sources, Majhi was brutally killed near Sapachanchala under the Bijepur police limits reportedly late on Tuesday night. Jayant was the former sarpanch of Trilochanpur panchayat. Meanwhile, security has been tightened in southern Odisha districts, including Kandhamal, Boudh and Gajapati for the 24-hour bandh called by the ultras. Ant-Maoist camps, security establishments in Maoists-affected districts have been alerted while combing operations and patrolling have been intensified. The State police Intelligence wing has been directed to keep a strict vigil on the situation to avert any violence by Maoists as reliable sources said the ultras from neighbouring Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh are trying to enter Kandhamal and Malkangiri districts.