Rajendra Sahu (30), a former cricketer, was shot dead by Maoists in Gothalpadar village on the Andhra-Orissa border last week. The Maoists had suspected him to be a police informer. Rajendra’s father, Narsimha Sahu, who worked as a coolie, was also killed for the same reason and in a similar manner by Maoists in 2002.Originally from Andhra Pradesh but settled in Rayagada district of Orissa — barely six km from Andhra border in Vizianagaram district — for two generations, Sahu had married just two weeks back.Gunupur police said on May 16, Rajendra had ventured out of the village with his friends when he was shot dead by the Maoists. Police has not been able to make any arrests so far.Investigation officer Indramani Behra of Gunupur police station, where a case was registered, said that Rajendra was on Maoists’ hit-list after he started hobnobbing with some Congress party workers in his village.“The Maoists had sent feelers to police as well as Rajendra and his friends that they suspected him of providing information to Andhra Pradesh police and that if he did not stop he would be killed. We cautioned him to be careful and advised him not to venture out of the village alone, especially at night,” Behra said, adding that Rajendra always denied that he provided any information to the police and was defiant. “His father was also shot dead by Maoists who accused him of being a police informer. But he was just a poor daily wager. Rajendra was shot dead because he was seen prominently in the company of political workers in the village,” Behra added.Rajendra’s ailing mother and wife Sharmila live in their house in the village. His uncle Master Das Babu said Rajendra used to play inter-college and other cricket tournaments, organised by various states. He played in several inter-state tournaments representing local-level teams of Vizianagaram district in Andhra Pradesh. “He was passionate about cricket and played for clubs and local teams, but because of his economic background could not rise further. He recently started his business as a civil contractor,” Master Das Babu, who runs a store in the village, said over phone.
