Hindi daily journalist axed to death by Maoists in Chhattisgarh

Raipur: A senior journalist based in Chhattisgarh was on Friday axed to death by a group of Maoists in Bijapur district, police said.

The Maoists attacked scribe Sai Reddy in Basaguda police station limits of the district, killing him, Bijapur deputy superintendent of police Sukhnandan Rathore said.

Reddy, a reporter with Deshbandhu, a Hindi daily, was staying in Bijapur for the last two years after leaving his native place Basaguda, around 450 km from Raipur, the DSP said.

On Friday, he went to Basaguda to meet his relatives. When he was visiting the market place in the village, around 10 ultras suddenly attacked him with axes.

They hit Reddy on his head and throat several times and fled from the spot leaving him in a pool of blood, the DSP said. Reddy sustained severe injuries on his throat and head. He died on his way to Bijapur hospital, he added.

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Reddy had been actively covering Maoist-affected areas for the past 20 years and reportedly was their target.

In February this year, another local journalist Nemi Chand Jain was killed by Maoists in Tongpal police station area of Sukma district in south Bastar.

Maoists are observing Peoples’ Liberation of Guerrilla Army (PLGA) week from December 2-8 in memory of their slain leaders during which they organise various programmes to spread their propaganda, besides recruiting youth in their fold.

PTI