A former Maoist, who later tuned an anti-Maoist campaigner, was shot at and critically injured at Silakuta village under the Padia police station in the district late on Sunday night.
The youth, identified as Mangulu Madkami, is battling for his life at the District Headquarters Hospital (DHH).He has received a bullet injury on his left thigh and his condition continues to be critical,” informed the doctors attending him.
According to reports, a group of armed rebels barged into Manglu’s house around 11 pm and fired at him leaving him unconscious. Believing him to be dead, the assailants fled the spot.
“Mangulu had quit the Maoist fold four years ago and ever since, engaged himself in sensitising the people about Maoist activities in the region. He would try to counsel the rebels and convince them to join the social mainstream and surrender before police,” a local.
In a related development, BSF busted a Maoist camp in Dayapada forest under the Orkel police station in the district on Sunday.
Acting on a tipoff, a BSF team from Kudumulugumma conducted a search operation in the area. A huge cache of arms including two guns, live bullets, detonators, guillotine, posters and other Maoist items were seized from the camp. However, the Red rebels present at the managed to escape from the spot, sources said.