Sukma, Apr 09: A grocery vendor was killed and two others were injured in Sukma allegedly by a group of Naxalites who accused them of being police informers, an official said on Sunday.
Sometime later, an encounter took place between these Naxalites and security personnel in which four to five ultras are believed to have sustained bullet injuries, he said.
Vendors Pradip Baghel, Sunil Pradhani and Gopal Baghel from Dornapal had gone to sell groceries in the interiors of Polampalli on Saturday and were apprehended on their way back at Palamagdu by Naxalites of the ‘Konta Area Committee’, Sukma Superintendent of Police Sunil Sharma told PTI.
“The three were thrashed with sticks and left in injured condition, while their motorcycles were taken away by the ultras. On being alerted about the incident on Saturday night, a District Reserve Guard team was sent to the spot. Pradip succumbed to injuries while being shifted to the hospital,” the SP said.
When security personnel were cordoning off the forest near Palamadgu and Arlampalli villages in the early hours of Sunday, this group of Naxalites, numbering around 35, opened fire, which triggered an encounter, the official said.
“Finding that security personnel were zeroing on them, the Naxalites fled. Four to five ultras have sustained bullet injuries but their colleagues managed to drag them into the forest. We have recovered the mobile phones of three vendors, one motorcycle, petrol bombs etc,” he added.
Two other motorcycles of the vendors were found gutted at the spot, Sharma said.
