Nagpur: Chhannuram Mandavi, Congress leader and former block president of Kuwakonda block in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district, was shot dead by alleged Maoists in Cholnar village on Tuesday. Police said Mandavi, considered to be close to the family of Salwa Judum founder Mahendra Karma, was accused of being a police informer by the Maoists.
Ruling out a political killing, Kamlochan Kashyap, SP (Dantewada), said, “Around 20 to 25 Maoists entered his house late last night and killed him. They left some letters in which they accused him of helping the police in setting up a camp in his area and constructing roads. They claimed to have warned Mandavi many times since 2004, which he apparently ignored.
Mr. Kashyap also claimed Mandavi was close to senior Maoist leader Ganesh Uike, and would help with vehicles and medicines when the latter was unwell. “Ganesh Uike is in hiding for some time now, and has appointed new Maoist commanders in this area who are not from Dantewada. According to our intelligence, Mandavi was openly defying some of them, and there were reports that they had heated verbal exchanges. The Maoists have accused him of helping the police open a camp and construct a road since 2004, but the camp and road came up recently. These new commanders don’t know the old Maoist sympathisers, which is why such killings are taking place. It was more of an ego clash than a political killing.”
Meanwhile, Mr. K.Vijay Kumar, security advisor to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, visited Kistaram police camp in Sukma district. He was accompanied by Special Director General of Police D.M. Awasthi. “Mr.Kumar, Mr.Awasthi and senior CRPF and police officers interacted with the troops in Kistaram camp,” a statement issued by the State Anti-Naxal Operations unit said.
Kistaram police camp is considered most sensitive in Sukma as it is situated deep inside the forests where Maoists operate.
