Orissa legislator killed by suspected Maoists
September 24th, 2011 - 10:34 pm ICT by IANSBhubaneswar, Sep 24 (IANS) Orissa’s ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) legislator Jagabandhu Majhi and his personal security officer were Saturday shot dead by unidentified assailants suspected to be Maoists in the state’s Nabrangpur district, police said.
The 39-year-old Umarkot legislator was was shot dead when he was distributing land ownership papers to poor tribal residents at a public function in the presence of about 300 people at Gona village in the district, over 500 km from here.
The popular tribal leader was disabled and confined to a wheel-chair after he was injured when some unidentified assailants fired at him several years ago. Police did not rule out the hand of Maoists in the latest attack that claimed his life.
“Three people came on a motorcycle and opened fire at the legislator. We are examining all angles,” District Superintendent of Police Nitin Sekhar told IANS. Pinku Patra, Majhi’s security officer, was also killed.
Deputy Inspector General of Police (south-west range) Saumendra Priyadarshi said the assailants first fired at the security officer from behind and then shot at the legislator.
The security officer and the tribal leader were immediately taken to a hospital where doctors proclaimed them dead, he said.
Citing preliminary investigation, Priyadarshi said the gunmen had not covered their faces and were speaking Hindi. After committing the crime, they also took away the gun the security officer was carrying, he said.
“We strongly believe they could be Maoists,” Priyadarshi said.
A 25-year-old tribal named Ramesh Gand sustained injury when a bullet passed by his neck. He has been admitted in hospital for treatment, the police officer said.
More than half of the state’s 30 districts are affected by Maoist insurgency. The guerrillas are steadily entering the Nabrangpur district.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik condemned the killing and said he was deeply shocked. “I am deeply shocked. He (Majhi) used to move around in a wheel-chair,” Patnaik told reporters.
He said the crime branch wing of the state police department has been ordered to investigate.
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Tags: biju, chief minister, deputy inspector general, district chief, district police, district superintendent, legislator, majhi, maoist, maoists, naveen patnaik, nitin, personal security, pinku, preliminary investigation, security officer, sekhar, tribal leader, unidentified assailants, wheel chair