Maoists gun down Rayagada samiti member

BHUBANESWAR: Maoists on Tuesday gunned down a panchyat samiti member in Rayagada district alleging his illegal involvement with the companies looting the tribals in the area.

The deceased was identified as Gandhigopal Chitti of Sikarpai under the Kalyansinghpur police limits in the district. He was a lawyer by profession and a part-time contractor in his area. Chitti, a congress worker and former sarpanch of Sikarpai panchayat, was elected as samiti member in the last panchayat election.  

According to reports, a group of four Maoists in the morning suddenly opened fired at Chitti when he was filling petrol in his petrol pump, a few kilometers from Sikarpai. After the firing, the ultras slit throat of Chitti and fled from the spot leaving a hand-written poster.

The poster bearing the signature of Bansadhara-Nagabali-Ghumusar division secretary Umakant claimed that they killed Chitti for his tyrannical attitude towards poor people. 

After getting information from the locals, the police rushed to the spot and seized two khokas, one live bullet and the red poster. 

The Maoists had made their presence felt by torching a tractor, a bulldozer and a motorcycle at Khambesu village in the district last week. This incident created panic in the area. The security forces have intensified combing operation in the area.