Maoists kidnapped and killed a pastor branding him as a police informer in Chinturu mandal of East Godavari district in early hours of Saturday.
The police said 25 Maoists visited Lakshmipuram village of the Nellipaka mandal near Chinturu on Friday night and enquired about Vooraka Maraiah, 45, a pastor. They woke up his family and took Maraiah along with them.
After three hours, Maraiah’s body, with hands tied to the back, was found at the junction of the village. It bore stab and bullet wounds.
In a letter left near the body, the Maoists called Maraiah a police informer and charged him with not heeding to their warning to mend his ways. He “accumulated wealth disproportionately,” they said.
“As Maraiah started exploiting the poor tribal people and the needy, we punished him in the people’s court,” according to the letter.
They also released a list of village leaders indulging in “unlawful” activities and becoming police informers, and asked them to mend their ways.
