In a gruesome incident, a former Naxal, Nelson Bhendra, was reportedly shot dead by an armed squad of CPI-Maoist rebels near his house in the Jeraikela Thana area of West Singhbhum, situated about 180 km away from the city. The incident occurred late on Tuesday night, prompting immediate police action.
Upon receiving information about the killing, the police initiated a search operation in the Jeraikela Thana area to recover the body. A senior police official, confirmed the search operation but refrained from confirming the killing of the former Naxal. "We have also got information about the murder of a former Naxal and have begun a search operation for the body since this morning”.
Nelson Bhendra, a one-time participant in subversive activities in the Saranda area, hailed from the notorious Samtha village in Jeraikela, falling under the jurisdiction of the Saranda forest division. The region has witnessed intense Naxal-sponsored violence in the past, requiring police and paramilitary forces to adhere to Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) during the search operation.
Notably, Bhendra had recently been arrested by the Odisha police on charges of extorting levy from a local company in the neighboring state. He was released on bail from an Odisha jail just two months ago. The CPI-Maoist rebels are known to target their former associates, suspecting them of being police informers.
Sources informed that an armed Naxal squad raided Nelson Bhendra's house around 10 pm on Tuesday, taking him to a nearby forest stretch. Allegedly, he was brutally beaten before being shot dead, after which the assailants vanished from the scene. The incident adds to the complex web of Naxal-related violence and challenges faced by law enforcement in the region. Investigations are ongoing to ascertain the full details of the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice.
The official emphasized the challenges faced by law enforcement, saying, "The area's notoriety for Naxal violence poses significant challenges for our search operations. Our priority is to recover the body and bring the perpetrators to justice."
Notably, Nelson Bhendra had recently been released on bail from an Odisha jail after being arrested by the local police for allegedly extorting levy from a company in the neighboring state. The CPI-Maoist rebels are known for targeting their former associates, suspecting them of collaboration with the police. He was reportedly brutally beaten before being shot dead, after which the assailants vanished from the scene. Investigations are ongoing, and the police are committed to unraveling the full details of the incident and ensuring justice for the victim.