Rs four lakh ex-gratia for forester killed by Maoists

Bhubaneswar, May 9 (UNI) Consoling the bereaved family of a forester, shot dead by the armed Maoists, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today announced an ex-gratia of Rs four lakh and a government job to the victim's family member.

Official sources said over 25 armed Maoists attacked a forest beat under Rairangpur forest range, set ablaze it and shot dead forester Rabindra Nath Patra in the wee hours today.

Mr Patra was the first forest official to have been killed by the Maoists in Mayurbhanj district.

The Chief Minister, who expressed shock and grief over the killing, also ordered that one family member of the deceased forester would be provided with a government job.

Mayurbhanj district Unit of the Orissa State Non-Gazetted Forest Services Association president Sanyasi Behera has demanded an ex-gratia of Rs ten lakh to the next of kins of the deceased Forester and urged the government to provide adequate protection to the forest officials working in the Maoist-dominated areas in the state.

UNI