Maoists gun down ex-sarpnach on Telangana-Chhattisgarh border

Hyderabad, Dec 23 (IANS) Maoists gunned down a former sarpanch in Telangana's Mulugu district, branding him a police informer.

The body of Korasa Ramesh (33), who was kidnapped by Maoists three days ago, was found near Kottapalli area on the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border on Wednesday.

According to police, the former sarpanch and a worker of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) from K. Kondapur village in Venkatapur mandal of Mulugu district was kidnapped by Maoists when he had gone to the neighbouring state for some work.

Ramesh, who has been residing in Eturnagaram for some time, had gone to Bheemaram in Chhattisgarh district along with a friend on his motorcycle on December 20. The duo had travelled through Chirla area in Bhadradri Kothagudem district.

His family later learnt that unidentified people took them to discuss some matter. However, with no further information the family was worried about his safety. On Wednesday, the body of Ramesh was found in the area where he was kidnapped.

Locals who saw the body informed Ramesh's family. The injuries on the body indicate that he was shot in the mouth. Police believe that he was shot dead on Wednesday.

The person who was kidnapped along with Ramesh has been reportedly released.

Police registered a case and took up investigation.

Maoists left a letter on Ramesh's body, saying he was punished for acting as an informer for the police. According to the letter in the name of Communist Party of India (Maoist) Venkatapuram-Vajedu Area Committee secretary Shanta, Venkatapuram Sub-Inspector J. Tirupati had turned Ramesh into an informer.

The Maoist outfit alleged that Ramesh was supplying them goods wanted by them but the police tried to track them down with the help of mobile phone signals. They also alleged that Ramesh supplied them milk laced with poison which resulted in death of one Maoist while some others took ill. The ultras said Ramesh was paid Rs 2 lakh and he confessed to the 'crime' in a 'people's court', which sentenced him to death.