Bastar violence: 25-year-old shikshadoot killed in Bijapur; police suspect maoists

RAIPUR: A 25-year-old teacher, who was working as a 'shikshadoot' - a young volunteer who educates children in remote, tribal regions of Bastar, was killed by unidentified persons in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district in Bastar division on Friday late.

According to police, Kallu Tati, a native of Todka village in Gangaloor region was murdered. Though officials said that it's suspected to be a killing executed by Maoists, it's yet to be verified as there was no Naxal leaflet recovered from the spot of crime. Maoists have recently killed a number of 'shikshadoots' accusing them of working as police informers and contributing to development related work.

Police statement confirmed that Tati was working as a 'shikshadoot' in Lendra village school, which was re-opened by govt in insurgency-hit Bijapur district.

According to information, Tati was returning from school on Friday evening when he was abducted by unidentified people and later killed.

Police got the information early on Saturday and a team of cops rushed to the spot.

On Thursday, suspected Maoists had killed a local villager in Bijapur, who used to run a small shop. Maoists have been on a killing spree, targetting villagers and 'shikshadoots' in particular, which police termed as "their frustration due to intensified anti-Naxal operations."

According to Bastar range inspector general of police, P Sundarraj, "Maoists have killed at least seven 'shikshadoots' in past three years in Sukma, Bijapur, Narayanpur, and Dantewada districts of Bastar division, with five killings this year." About 32 civilians have been killed by Maoists so far this year.

The issue of 'shikshadoots' killing has become a concern for locals in Bastar. Soon after the recent killing of 30-year-old teacher Laxman Barse at his in-laws' place at Mandemarka village in Sukma, members of tribal community visited Barse's village at Pegdepalli on Friday.

Ganesh Mandavi, Sukma district president of tribal community under the banner of Sarva Adivasi Samaj told TOI that Barse's father and brother were also killed by Maoists over similar allegations of working as police informers and Barse was also under threat. He stayed away from his village Pegdepalli because of the threat and lived with the in-laws. The school he worked as 'shiskshadoot' was also near his in-laws' place.

"The big question is, who's killing 'shikshadoots' and why only they are on target? There are 106 of them in Sukma district and 50 'shikshadoots' went with us to Barse's village to inquire about the consequences of the incident. But the villagers said they were clueless," Mandavi said.

Recently on Aug 27 and Aug 15, Maoists had killed two teachers in Sukma and the borders of Kanker-Narayanpur districts, while two more were killed in July in Bijapur. They were all accused of working for the police as informers.