Malkangiri: Police Sunday claimed to have arrested four Maoists for their involvement in the murder of Damuru Nayak of Kuruv under Kalimela police limits in this district.
The arrested ultras were members of ‘Randev Maoist Group’ under the ‘Kalimela Dalam Area Command’ of Ranjulkonda village, Malkangiri SP Jagmohan Meena said while addressing a press meet.
In a bid to make their presence felt and spread terror among the inhabitants of Rajukonda, Kuruv, Elkanur, Dayalatun and nearby villages, the four along with members of militia groups killed Damuru, who was not a police informer, in full public view, the SP said.
Such activities of the Maoists would not be tolerated and developmental works will be taken up in full swing the region, the SP said.
Meena further said steps were being taken to rehabilitate all those people who have fled their villages in the fear of Maoists.
According to police, about 40 armed Maoists reached Damuru’s home in the night of October 6. They accused him of being a police informer and brutally killed him in the street by stoning him and beating him up with lathis. Damuru’s son also sustained grievous injuries in the attack.
The ultras then warned the locals against working as police informers. The Maoists then went away leaving behind a letter for the police. Through the letter, the ultras asked the police to stop conducting combing operations.
Hundreds of Maoist supporters had joined the mainstream in November, 2016. The police had also launched an awareness campaign in March, 2017 in Kuruv.
Worried over the steady decline in their support base in the area, the Maoists committed the murder in a bid to make their presence felt, the police said. PNN