Maoist stoned to death in Odisha's Malkangiri

A Maoist was reportedly stoned to death and another cadre was critically injured by some locals at Janturai village in the Swabhiman Anchal of Malkangiri district late last night.

Malkangiri (Odisha): A Maoist was allegedly stoned to death and another cadre has been critically injured by some locals of Janturai village under Papermetla police limits in Malkangiri district late last night during a face-off.

The identities of the deceased Maoist and the injured cadre are yet to be ascertained.

Two Maoists had come to Janturai village on Saturday night and told the residents to observe the Republic Day as 'black day', a senior police officer said.

However, the residents opposed the Maoist diktat and instead chased the duo out of the village. As the Maoists opened blank fire to terrorise the people, the villagers retaliated with their traditional weapons like bows and arrows besides resorting to stone pelting in which one Maoist was killed and another was injured, he said.

The villagers were of the opinion that they were deprived of development programmes because of the Maoist presence in the area. Recently, the Maoists had opposed the construction of a road to Janturai village located in the cut-off area of the district.

The village is cut off from rest of the state as on three sides of it is encircled by water of Balimela reservoir while there is a forest on one side adjoining to Andhra Pradesh.

One Maoist was killed and another seriously injured in the incident, the first such incident of villagers attacking Maoists in the state, police said.

The villagers later handed over the body of the deceased Maoist to the BSF jawans at their camp located at nearby Hantalguda village.

Malkangiri Superintendent of Police, R D Khilari said: "We have been told that the villagers retaliated when Maoists opened fire. It is said that one Maoist was killed."

Security personnel including BSF jawans have been rushed to the village as the residents fear revenge-attack by Maoists, police said.

The police have rushed the injured Maoist to the district headquarter hospital in Malkangiri for treatment.

Meanwhile, a report from Kalahandi district said an exchange of fire took place between security personnel and Maoists near Niyamgiri hills.

On January 22, Maoists had stopped a road construction work in Niyamgiri locality.