After Telangana Congress Minister Sympathised With Slain Naxalite, Maoists Kill Party Leader In Chhattisgarh's Bastar

Days after Congress Minister in Telangana sympathised with the family of a slain Naxal leader, a Congress leader in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region was killed by Maoists on Friday (26 April) night.

Maoists are reported to have entered the house of 44-year-old Joga Podiyam in Potali village of Dantewada district at around 11 pm after disconnecting the electricity supply, TOI reported.

They then dragged the Congress leader and former Janpad Panchayat member out of his house and slit his throat. When Chhattisgarh Armed Forces reached, they found Podiyam's body lying in a pool of blood.

Superintendent of Police Gaurav Rai was quoted as saying, "Maoists brutally killed Podiyam in the darkness to prevent witnesses and aid. The perpetrators fled the scene immediately after the murder."

The SP also said that Podiyam's adult son was also killed by the Maoists a few years ago in the Aranpur police station area of Dantewada.

Podiyam had been receiving death threats for many years. Now he is survived by his wife, who is also a Congress leader and currently a member of the Janpad Panchayat.

Death threats against Podiyam began during the 2018 Chhattisgarh Assembly elections. The Maoists reportedly held grudges over the development projects.

Voting in the village was held in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections, when there was tight security. However, security arrangements were diluted after elections leading to the incident.

Notably, this is the first instance of attack on a Congress leader. Earlier, eight BJP leaders have been killed in separate attacks over the past year.

The incident happened a couple of days after Panchayat Raj Minister in Telangana's Congress government, Danasari Anasuya aka Seethakka visited the house of slain Maoist leader Siripelli Sudhakar aka Sankaranna.

She not only consoled the family but also said that the state's ruling Congress government would help Sudhakar’s family. She was accompanied by Congress MLA Gandra Satyanarayana Rao.