Ranchi: Maoists shot dead a Congress leader in Jharkhand's East Singhbhum district to protest the Green Hunt operation in the state, police said Wednesday.
Gobardhan Mahali was killed late on Tuesday, a fortnight after the operation was launched. The Green Hunt operation is a central-government aided campaign to flush out the rebels from the Maoist-affected states.
Mahali was the Congress president of Dhalbhumgarh block in East Singhbhum district, around 190 km from Ranchi. He lived in Maacchbhandhar village.
"Around 25 rebels of CPI-Maoist (Communist Party of India-Maoist) raided Mahali's house and took him towards the jungle area at gun point. The Maoists then pumped in three bullets in his head," a police officer said.
Mahali is the first political leader to be killed after the launch of the Green Hunt operation a fortnight ago. CPI-Maoist had earlier threatened to kill Congress leaders if the operation continued.
"Maoist rebels seem to be desperate after the large-scale offensive was launched against them. The killing of Mahali is the outcome of their desperation," said another police officer involved in the anti-Maoist operation.
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