Maoists kill sarpanch in Bastar village

Maoists today beat to death a Sarpanch, Samaru Ram, in Edka village, about 11 km from the Narayanpur police station area of Bastar region, police sources said. The Maoists also assaulted the panchayat secretary, took him some distance and then released him, the sources said.

In another incident, armed Naxalites raided the government residential school for tribals in Edka village and blew up the building, police said. The Naxalites assaulted three persons, including two security guards of the school and a villager, police said.

Meanwhile, the police and Naxalites exchanged fire near Jiwala Padar village, about 15 km from the Narayanpur district headquarters, police said. When the police were on a search operation, the Maoists attacked them, police said, adding no one was injured from their side.