Senior naxal leader killed by colleagues in C'garh: police

Modiyam Vijja, a "Divisional Committee Member-rank" naxal leader who was in charge of the rebels' Gangaloor Area Committee, was shot dead in a forest near Chitavar in the district, the police said. Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) Sundarraj P told PTI that a clash reportedly took place between Vijja and his subordinate Dinesh Modiyam, secretary of the naxals' Gangaloor Area committee, over the recent killings of innocent tribals in Bijapur.

A top Maoist leader who was behind several killings in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh has been killed by his juniors, the police claimed on Friday. Modiyam Vijja, a "Divisional Committee Member-rank" naxal leader who was in charge of the rebels' Gangaloor Area Committee, was shot dead in a forest near Chitavar in the district, the police said.

Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) Sundarraj P told PTI that a clash reportedly took place between Vijja and his subordinate Dinesh Modiyam, secretary of the naxals' Gangaloor Area committee, over the recent killings of innocent tribals in Bijapur. Vijja was killed during the confrontation, after which the naxals handed over his body to his family in Mankeli village for cremation, the IG added.

"Vijja, who was carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakh on his head, was behind most of the civilian killings as well as rallies organised in Gangaloor area in the recent past," he said. Terming the development as crucial, the IG said security forces were keeping a close tab on happenings within the naxal orgainsation and "taking strategic action accordingly".

"It appears there is a lot of tension between senior naxal cadres and lower-rung cadres and the latter are in confrontation mode over violence against innocent tribals by senior leaders," he added. Maoists have killed 12 people including three police personnel and a forest official in the district in the last one month.

There were also reports of killings of several villagers in the interiors of Pamed and Gangaloor areas of the district but these reports were yet to be confirmed, said a senior official.