Investigators probing the mysterious death of CRPF constable Kanhaiyalal Yadav believe that the Combat Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) policeman was probably killed for reasons of personal enmity or on a sudden provocation, rather than by Maoist cadres.
“The modus operandi suggests that Yadav was killed for personal reasons rather than by Maoists,” said Bastar Superintendent of Police P. Sundaraj.
On Sunday, the headless body was found in a roadside bush about 10 km from Jagdalpur town in Chhattisgarh's Maoist-affected Bastar district. A driver in the CRPF's elite CoBRA battalion, Yadav was returning to his unit after a period of leave when he was attacked.
On Sunday, senior CRPF officers told The Hindu that they believed that the CPI (Maoist) had orchestrated the killing, but Mr. Sundaraj's investigation suggested otherwise. “The body was hidden away from the road,” said Mr. Sundaraj, “Normally Maoists throw bodies on to the road to create an atmosphere of fear.” While no arrests have been made, a few suspects are being interrogated.