Maoists gun down Jharkhand villager

GHUNANDI VILLAGE - A villager was killed and two others, including a woman were injured when a group of Maoists raided Ghunandi village in Jharkhand’s East Singhbhum district on Thursday. Sagar Mahato was the villager who fell to the bullets of the Maoists.

“Around 10 to 15 militants came to the village and stated firing. In the firing a villager Sagar Mahato was killed and two others have been injured. Injured are being treated at a hospital,’ said Naveen Kumar, Superintendent of Police.

Reportedly, Mahato and his friends raised an alarm, and villagers with traditional weapons came out to take on the ultras. However, the extremists started firing on the villagers, who retaliated with bows and arrows.

Mahato was the members of the village protection committee named Gram Suraksha Samity and he had been assigned the night duty.

Meanwhile, a massive combing operation to track down the ultras was launched in the area.

Jharkhand is among the worst Maoists affected areas in the country.

The main objective of the Maoists is to prevent the development of infrastructure in remote areas, which so far has remained their exclusive domain.

The Maoists claim they are fighting for the rights of poor farmers and landless labourers, but they are fast losing credibility as they continue attacking schools, hospitals and infrastructure projects. (ANI)