'Shiksha Doot' among two killed by Maoists in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur

Raipur, July 15 (IANS) In a fresh wave of violence in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, two men, including a ‘Shiksha Doot’ (Shiksha Doot in Chhattisgarh refers to teachers working in remote and Maoist-affected areas), were found murdered in the forests of Pilur village on Tuesday.

One of the victims has been identified as Vinod Made, a local education worker who had reportedly been abducted by Maoists on Monday evening. His body, along with that of another unidentified individual, was discovered near the Farasgarh police station area, police sources said.

The police forces have moved to the village in search of Maoists.

Locals allege that the killings were carried out on suspicion of police informant activity, though official confirmation from authorities is still awaited.

According to eyewitness accounts and local media reports, Naxalites left behind pamphlets near the bodies accusing the victims of leaking information to security forces.

The incident has triggered renewed fear in the region, which has long been a hotbed of Maoist insurgency.

This latest attack follows a string of similar killings in Bijapur over the past fortnight, where six individuals, including two students, were executed by Maoists on suspicion of being informers.

The Bastar region, encompassing Bijapur and surrounding districts, has witnessed over 1,800 deaths attributed to Maoist violence since the formation of Chhattisgarh state in 2000.

Security forces have launched a search operation in the area, and the state government has reiterated its commitment to eliminating Naxalism by March 2026, a deadline set by Union Home Minister Amit Shah earlier this year.

Earlier on June 17, three villagers, including a 13-year-old schoolboy and a 20-year-old college student, were strangled to death by Naxalites in Peddakorma village of Bijapur district, Chhattisgarh. The victims were identified as Anil Madvi, a Class 7 student and Soma Modiyam, who had passed Class 12 and had joined college.

Since the formation of Chhattisgarh state in 2000, Naxalites have killed at least 1,821 people across Bastar’s seven districts, with Bijapur recording the highest number of fatalities.

Victims have included civilians, surrendered cadres, and elected representatives.

--IANS

sktr/dpb