Khaprakhol/Lathore: Maoists shot dead Trilochan Taria at Khuripani village of Rengali panchayat under Lathore police limits in Bolangir district Sunday night. The incident came within 24 hours of Kailash Digal, a contractor being murdered in Damangpadar village under Phiringia police limits in Kandhamal district.
The Maoists branded both as police informers before killing them.
Sources said, about 20 armed Maoists arrived at the village, called him out of his home and then dragged him 50 metres from his house. Accusing Trilochan as a police informed, they beat him mercilessly before shooting him from point blank range, killing him on the spot.
Locals noticed hand-written Maoists posters lying on the spot. The Reds justified Trilochan’s murder in the poster. They said that in the past Trilochan and others had been helping Maoists. However, they have changed colours now and were helping the police by passing information on to them. The Maoists said that Trilochan had updated the police on the location of their hideouts and was also passing on knowledge about the activities of the Red Rebels.
The Maoists said that Trilochan and the others had been warned and asked to stop functioning as police informers. But he ignored the warnings for which he had to pay with his life. Others would be rewarded soon, the poster stated.
Trilochan is survived by his wife, two daughters and three sons. His wife said her husband had never been a police informer.
On being informed, police reached the spot Monday morning, seized the body and posters, and launched an investigation.
PNN