Suspected Maoists on Wednesday allegedly killed two former sarpanches in separate incidents in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, The Indian Express reported.
The police have identified those killed as Suklu Farsa, a block-level chief of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s farmers’ wing, and Sukram Avlam, a former sarpanch of the Kader village.
The murders took place just ahead of the local body elections that are due to be held in the state next month, but are yet to be announced.
Farsa was abducted while he was visiting his village from his home in the Bhairamgarh village to attend a family event. His body was later found on Thursday morning, allegedly with a note that read “Quit BJP or die”, The Times of India reported.
The second murder allegedly occurred in Gangaloor area of Bijapur, where Avlam was visiting for some farm-related work. His body was found on a road outside the village, The Indian Express reported, citing unidentified police officials.
As with Farsa, a leaflet pinned to his clothes said Maoists from the Gagaloor Area Committee had killed him because he allowed a police camp to be set up in the region.
Eleven workers from the BJP and three from the Congress have been killed in the Bastar division since February 2023, according to Times of India.
Sixty-five civilians have been killed in Maoist-related violence till now this year, the highest figure since 2018.
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