Chhattisgarh: Naxals kill sarpanch's husband as 'punishment' for supporting development; set ablaze JCB

Later, a banner was found outside the village, in which the Naxals claimed that the deceased was punished for playing an active role in the construction work despite their warning, police said.

Naxals killed a village sarpanch's 33-year-old husband in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district for his active involvement in development works at the local level, a police official said on Saturday. The incident took place on Friday night at Karmari village, in which the Naxals also set ablaze a JCB machine engaged in road construction work there before fleeing from the spot, he said. Later, a banner was found outside the village, in which the Naxals claimed that the deceased was ''punished'' for playing an active role in the construction work despite their warning, police said. ''The deceased, Birju Salaam, a native of Karmari village under Farasgaon police station limits, had been supporting the authorities in various developmental works, including road and culvert constructions, in the area and also encouraging other villagers to do so,'' Narayanpur Superintendent of Girija Sahankar Jaiswal said.

He was husband of Phulday Salaam, sarpanch (village head) of Karmari village panchayat, located around 21 km from Narayanpur town which is over 200 km away from capital Raipur.

''On Friday night, a group of Naxals reached the village and killed him in front of the villagers. Before escaping from the spot, the Naxals also set ablaze a JCB that was engaged in construction work and parked there,'' he said.

On being alerted about it, a team of security personnel was sent to the spot and further details are awaited, he said.

Later, a banner was found hanging outside the village, in which the Maoists' Nelnar Area Committee claimed responsibility for killing Birju and stated that he was playing an active role in the construction work in the area for which he was punished with death, police said.

The Naxals also said that they had warned him in the past to stay away from such activities, they said.

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