Naxals burn Jharkhand Youth Congress leader alive

Simdega (Jharkhand), May 17 (ANI):In yet another barbaric assault on civilians,the Maoists on Monday shot and burnt a Youth Congress leader in Jharkhand's Simdega District.

Slain leader Hemant Bage was Youth Congress block president.

The incident took place in the Lumbatoli village of the District.

The Maoists left behind posters warning more such killings if the ongoing police operation against them was not withdrawn immediately.

Bage was the brother-in-law of Simdega sub-divisional officer S Bhuiyan.

According to Simdega Deputy Superintendent of Police Varun Kumar, Bage was on the way to Bhuiyan's place when Maoists intercepted his vehicle and shot him dead.

Kumar added that the Maoists then set the vehicle on fire along with the body of Bage.

Police recovered the half burnt vehicle as well as Bage's body.

Security forces have launched a massive search operation in the area.

Meanwhile, the Maoists have also threatened a former Congress MLA of the district with grave consequences.

Earlier, the Maoists had ordered Congress leaders and workers in Jharkhand, to snap ties with the party or face dire consequences.

On March 30, the Maoists had gunned down the Dalbhumgarh block Congress president Gobardhan Mahali in Dalbhumgarh of East Singhbhum district.

In last couple of months State Congress leaders have expressed fears about the Maoists.

The party had set up a committee consisting former MLA Radha Krishna Kishore, former deputy chief minister Stephen Marandi, Rajya Sabha member Dheeraj Prasad Sahu, Minority Commission chairman Gulfam Mujibi and former MLA Niel Tirkey to look into the situation and suggest possible measures to the high command to adopt to counter the threat.

In April, over 24 members of Chhatarpur block in Palamau District had resigned after they were told by the Maoists to either oppose the operations or quit the party. (ANI)