Maoists kill shikshadoot in front of family members in Bastar's Sukma district

Raipur: A 30-year-old teacher (shikshadoot) was killed by Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district in BAstar division on Wednesday evening. The victim, Laxman Barse, was attacked by a group of armed Maoists at Silger village in Jagargunda region in front of his family members. When the family tried to intervene, they came under attack as well. After such incidents there’s a deafening silence in villages and everyone refuses to talk, keep their houses shut. The matter often comes to light after many days, but police officials said that they have received information that Barse was murdered by Maoists armed with sharp-edged weapons. A picture of his blood-smeared body was also shared on social media. Police said that preliminary investigation indicate that four-five Maoists disguised as villagers entered Barse’s house, dragged him out and accused him of working as police informer. He was assaulted before being killed. All this happened in front of family members. “Further legal action in connection with the incident will be taken by Jagargunda police,” the police statement said. Barse worked as a shikshadoot in Mandemarka, was visiting his in-laws’ place in Silger. The killing is the latest in a string of attacks on education volunteers in south Bastar. On Aug 15, Manesh Nureti was killed by Maoists for hoisting national flag on Independence Day at a village bordering Narayanpur district, on July 12 and 14, two shikshadoots were killed by Maoists in the Farsegarh area in Bijapur district on suspicion of being informers. On February 19, two men, including a shikshadoot, were killed in Dantewada. On Wednesday, TOI had reported that Chhattisgarh govt has decided to deny provisions of rehab policy for surrendered Maoists, if they were found to be involved in killing of children or teachers. Though on the backfoot on operational front, Maoists have been targeting teachers and civilians in villages and according to police records, over 30 people have been killed by Maoists in Bastar region this year. According to officials, Maoists have killed seven shikshadoots to date in the Bijapur–Sukma belt. These education volunteers are mostly local youth with schooling up to Class 12. They teach in resource-strapped, high-risk areas, often under trees or in huts, and receive a monthly honorarium of Rs 11,000 in Sukma and Rs 10,000 in Bijapur.