Postmaster gunned down by Maoists in Odisha

Malkangiri (Odisha), Aug 9: A postmaster in Odisha's Malkangiri district was abducted and killed allegedly by Maoists on suspicion that he was a police informer, a senior police official said today.

Around 20 armed ultras stormed Kamalapada village last night and abducted the postmaster of Papular post office, Narayan Palashi (45), Malkangiri Superintendent of Police Jagmohan Meena said.

The body of Palashi, with gunshot wounds, was found by his family members and villagers on a road on the village outskirts, he said. On being informed about the incident, a team from Chitrakonda police station rushed to the site and launched an investigation, the SP said.

A handwritten note in Odia, which was found near the body, stated that the postmaster was "eliminated as he was operating as a police informer", police said, adding the note, which had CPI (Maoist) mentioned on the letter-head, also warned that "anyone found assisting the police in anti-naxal operations would be punished in a similar manner".

Combing operations and patrolling in the area have been intensified by the security forces in the aftermath of the killing, the SP said.

A high alert was sounded in Malkangiri district on August 7 to prevent possible influx of Maoists from neighbouring Chhattisgarh, where security forces gunned down 15 ultras on Monday.

PTI