Dhanbad, Aug. 25: Suspected Maoists shot dead a farmer last night in rebel hotbed Gomia, a block about 70km from Bokaro district headquarters, on charges that he spied for the police.
Rakesh Mahto, 30, a resident of Phupkadih under Kunda panchayat in Lalpania, Gomia, was killed a kilometre away from home at Khakhanda village.
Widow Sunita Devi, an anganwadi sevika, told police that her husband left home on Tuesday afternoon for Lalpania market. That was the last time she had seen him.
"We started a search on our own on Wednesday. When his motorcycle was found by a villager last night in Dania area, 500 metres from our village, we planned to contact police this morning. But before that, police gave us the news of his death in the wee hours today."
Sources in Khakhanda, under Jageshwar Bihar police station, said 20 men came around 10pm in camouflages and shot Mahto after which they fired shots in the air, shouting pro-Maoist slogans.
This morning, a team from the nearest Mahuatand thana led by its OC P.C. Devgan was the first to rush to the site to recover the body and at least two posters left behind.
Mahto's body bore three bullet marks, one on the chest and two near the right upper back, police sources said.
The posters read, "Police dalal Rakesh Mahto ko mrityudand diya gaya (police agent Rakesh Mahto is awarded death sentence)" and "Police dalal ko chun chun kar maut ka saja denge (police spies will be hounded and killed)".
OC Devgan said preliminary evidence suggested murder by CPI(Maoist) rebels.
In a similar incident in May, suspected Maoists shot one Kalicharan Mahto of Chatrochatti village of Gomia Block about 80km from Bokaro, again suspecting him of being a police informer. Encounter
Palamau police on Friday recovered a semi-automatic rifle, cartridges, medicines, phones, wires and ropes from Ghurghuria Pahar forests after a gun battle late on Thursday night with Maoists of sub-zonal commander Nitesh Yadav squad.
Heat on rebel
Chatra police on Friday sealed the house of TPC zonal commander Koharam under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. Koharam carries Rs 10 lakh reward on his head and his house in Lawalong, Chatra, is valued at Rs 61.35 lakh.
