Naxalites shoot dead trader in Malkangiri

Malkangiri, Oct 30 (UNI) Suspected Naxalites today shot dead one Bandhu Behera of Korikunda village under Malkangiri police station in Orissa, suspecting him to be a police informer.

Soon after the incident, police rushed to the spot and launched a combing operation to flush out the rebels, who had fled to a nearby jungle.

Police said about four Naxalites waited near a shop owned by Behera. When he arrived,they opened fire, killing him on the spot.

The deceased had shifted his shop from Bejangwada village to Korkunda village after he was threatened by the ultras. His body was taken to Malkangiri hospital for post-mortem.

This is the second killing by the Naxalites this month. On October 12 armed Naxalites dragged out village headman Kartik Roy of MV-66 village and shot him dead, suspecting him also to be a police informer.

The Naxalites left a note stating that Ray was killed as he was a police informer and warned that all such informers would face a similar consequence.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who expressed his shock over the killing, has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to his family.

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