Five slain by naxals

Jagdalpur, July 9 (UNI) Five persons including a special police officer (SPO) and two abductees have been slain by naxals in Chhattisgarh's Dantewara district, police said.

SPO Rajaram Mandawi and villager Fagu were injured yesterday during an encounter near Cherla village. The duo succumbed at a hospital in Bhairamgarh.

Rebels abducted nine passengers yesterday from a bus near Tirla village. Of them, Village Secretary Nuka Penta and Satwa Sankur were killed early today. Prior to being murdered, they had been tied up and kept in Bhejji area from where three abductees escaped. One of the trio, a teacher named Sodi, was injured by a stabbing weapon.

Four persons, including two children, were still in capitivity.

Bekholakha was killed in Uskuri village. Only yesterday, the victim returned to Uskuri from the Bhairamgarh relief camp.

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