Naxals kill Congress leader in Jharkhand

Garhwa (Jharkhand), June 30 (ANI): Suspected Maoists killed a local Congress leader in Jharkhand's Garhwa District early on Wednesday morning.

According to Garhwa Superintendent of Police Richard Lakra, 45 year old Bardhan Kachhu, a local tribal leader, was kidnapped from Barkol village on Tuesday night by Maoists and shot dead.

The incident happened just hours before the two-day Maoist shutdown in five states.

This is the fifth 48-hour shutdown being forced by Maoists in the last six months.

Forceful shutdowns are affecting normal life in these states.

To avoid Naxal-pockets, up and down trains of Ranchi-Delhi Swarna Jayanti Express, Ranchi-Varanasi inter-city and Sambalpur-Varanasi inter-city have been diverted through Gomo-Gaya-Mughalsarai route.

The Railways has asked drivers to run trains at a speed of 65 kilometres in Naxal areas during the night. (ANI)