Maoists Kidnap, Kill Cong Leader in Jharkhand

Ahead of their two-day shutdown across five states, Maoists kidnapped and killed a local Congress leader in Jharkhand’s Garhwa district of Jharkhand, said media reports.

Garhwa Superintendent of Police Richard Lakra said that Bardhan Kachhu, a 45-year-old local tribal leader of Garhwa, was abducted from Barkol village around 8 pm last night by the Maoists and shot dead, reports said.

The rebels are observing a 2-day shutdown beginning midnight last night in Jharkhand, West Bengal, Orissa, Chhatisgarh and Bihar against the alleged anti-people policies of the government.

This is their fifth 48-hour shutdown this year, affecting mining activity in the mineral-rich state.

According to reports, up and down trains of Ranchi-Delhi Swarna Jayanti Express, Ranchi-Varanasi inter-city and Sambalpur-Varanasi inter-city have been diverted through Gomo-Gaya-Mughalsarai route to avoid Naxal-pockets.

As per a new order, the trains will run at a speed of 65 km in Naxal areas during nights, said reports.

(Based on internet reports)