CPI MPTC from Balapam G. Chittanna Dora alias Chittibabu was shot dead by Maoists on Saturday night for not resigning in protest against bauxite mining in the scheduled areas of the district.
Before expiry of the deadline set for him for tendering resignation, a gang of five Maoists and several militia members belonging to CPI (Maoist) dragged him from his house at Korukonda village in Balapam panchayat in the agency area, about 150 km from here, tied him to a tree and shot him dead at point blank at about 9 p.m.
Information reaching here said the banned outfit held a praja durbar (people's court) and warned of dire consequences for all those supporting the attempts by AP Mineral Development Corporation to undertake bauxite mining in Sapparla area for supplying the ore to Anrak Aluminium Limited with dire consequences.
This was the second killing of an elected representative by the banned outfit. On May 10, Visakhapatanm Zilla Parishad Vice-Chairman Somalingam had been shot dead near his house in the agency area for not opposing bauxite mining.
When contacted, SP Vineet Brij Lal said Maoists were killing soft targets to unleash terror. He said they were also targeting those opposing bauxite mining.
CPI district secretary J.V. Satyanarayana Murthy condemned the brutal killing of the MPTC member and wondered how the Maoists gunned down their activist who had been spearheading a campaign against mining in the agency area for past several years.
