CRPF man’s killing: ‘Too early to say about Naxal involvement’

However,police officers directly engaged in the investigations said they were probing Naxalite involvement and all other angles as well as the pattern of killing did not match with the usual practice of the Maoists. “The Naxalites had never tried to conceal the identity of their victim by taking away the severed head. The head is still missing. No Naxal leaflet or other materials that indicate towards Maoist involvement were found in the bushes of Bakawand on Jagdalpur-Mazgaon road”,they said.

Kanhiyalal yadav,a constable driver belonging to the 204 battalion special action force—which was earlier known as CoBRA battalion—was returning from his home town Gazhirpur in Uttar Pradesh. He was travelling from Mazgaon to rejoin his unit and his headless body was found on August 15.

However,those in the CRPF suspect involvement of the Maoists in the murder as CRPF personnel have been the target of rebels attack for the last few months. “CRPF going on leave and returning from leave,without weapons or adequate escort,are considered as soft targets by the Naxalites”,a CRPF official said in state capital Raipur.

Besides,it has been the practice of the Maoist rebels to intercept passenger buses in Bastar region to target the security personnel travelling in civil dress. The rebels have been frequently issuing warning to bus operators in the area not to allow security forces to board the vehicle.