Malkangiri: Cadres of the banned CPI (Maoist) allegedly murdered a villager from the cut-off area after charging him for being a police informer.

The police, however, are yet to confirm the incident.

"We are yet to ascertain the incident and are trying to get contacts of the suspected victim's family members for further investigations," said district superintendent of police Jagmohan Meena.

Sources said the incident occurred at Orapadar village inside the cut-off area across the Balimela reservoir in Andrahal panchayat on Tuesday night. Rebel activities have increased in the cut-off area in the past few days following last week's exchange of fire between security personnel and a group of Maoists.

On Sunday, the rebels reportedly abducted a trader, identified as Ganapati Muduli, on suspicions that he might have shared information about their camp with the police that led to the gun-battle. The police said the rebels took villagers along with them to carry their belongings from one place to another inside the forest on certain occasions.

"As some villagers go with the Maoists willingly, it is difficult to ascertain whether they have been abducted or not," said a senior police officer. The police said counter-insurgency operations have been intensified in the cut-off area and along the border with Chhattisgarh to check a suspected influx of Maoist leaders from bordering Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.