Naxals to observe Martyrdom Week

Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh, Jul 24 (UNI) Ahead of observing 'Martyrdom Week' from July 28, the Maoist Naxalites, active in about a dozen districts of Chhattisgarh have resorted to violence killing a youth, injuring a police official and setting ablaze two trucks in Bastar division during the last 24 hours, police said today.

Villager Tedja Tukke, who was staying in Pursegarh relief camp in Bijapur district, was axed to death, when he was en route to his native Kopan Jarri village yesterday.

Sub-Inspector Jairam Mandavi, posted in Dantewada's Jagarguda area, who was on his way to Aranpur was injured when a pressure bomb exploded this morning.

He was being taken to Bailadila for treatment.

In another incident, armed ultras set afire on two soil-laden trucks on Kodagaon-Narayanpur highway near Benur police station area this morning.

The naxalites resort to large scale violence particularly disrupting road traffic in interior areas during observance of Martyrdom Week to pay homage to their slain comrades.

Nearly 300 villages in South Bastar remained ghost villages with the entire population being shifted to relief camps in view of increased hostilities between Salwa Judum movement activists and the insurgents. Salwa Judum movement was launched with government support in June 2005.

UNI XC-KV LPB KN1518