A 40-year-old village Sarpanch was allegedly killed by suspected Maoists in Dantewada district of Bastar, police said on Wednesday.
"Sarpanch of Masenar village Raju Netam was hacked to death on Tuesday night at his native place under Bhansi police station area," as senior police official said.
As per preliminary information, a group of people, suspected to be Maoists armed with sharp weapons, stormed into Netam's house and dragged him out on the road before killing him, the official said. Police rushed to the spot after getting the news and Netam's body was taken to hospital for autopsy, he said.
"The exact reason behind the attack was yet to be ascertained as Netam was never on the target of ultras. Though some Maoist pamphlets were recovered from the spot, no specific reason has been mentioned in them behind the brutal murder," he added.
Meanwhile, a combing operation has been launched in the region to nab the assailants.