Maoists kill Chhattisgarh constable in bus raid

CPI (Maoist) cadres allegedly killed a constable of the 9th battalion of the Chhattisgarh Armed Force in Sukma district on Saturday morning. Shiv Kumar, a resident of Raigarh, was travelling in a passenger bus when Maoists forced the driver to stop near Temelwada. They identified the policeman, asked him to get down and allegedly killed him. The bus was travelling from Chintalnar to Dornapal.

“He was unwell and travelling in a bus to get to a health centre. The Maoists did not even spare a patient. It shows their cruel behaviour and disregard for human rights,” ADG (Naxal) Ops R K Vij told The Sunday Express.

A police statement said that the company commander of the 9th battalion Vinod Thapa has been suspended “for not following standard operation procedures” as he allowed the constable to travel in a passenger bus.

Saturday’s incident was the third such case in the region in the past fortnight.