Maoists kill Bastar teacher in front of family members

RAIPUR: A 30-year-old teacher (shikshadoot) was killed by Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district on Wednesday evening. The victim, Laxman Barse, was attacked by a group of armed Maoists at Silger village in Jagargunda region.According to police, Barse was murdered by Maoists armed with sharp-edged weapons. He was accused of working as police informer and assaulted before being killed. All this happened in front of family members.When the family members tried to intervene, they were also assaulted, the police statement added.Police said that according to initial information, four to five assailants came disguised as villagers before the attack; Barse’s wife was manhandled when she tried to stop them.“Further legal action in connection with the incident will be taken by Jagargunda police. Detailed information about the case will be shared later,” the release said.Barse worked as a shikshadoot in Mandemarka, and was visiting his in-laws’ place in Silger on Wednesday when he came under attack.The killing is the latest in a string of attacks on education volunteers in south Bastar. On July 14, two shikshadoots were killed by Maoists in the Farsegarh area in Bijapur district on suspicion of being informers. On February 19, two men, including a shikshadoot, were killed in Dantewada.On Wednesday, TOI had reported that Chhattisgarh govt has decided to deny provisions of rehab policy for surrendered Maoists, if they were found to be involved in killing of children or teachers.