Naxals kill mining contractor in Chhattisgarh

A contractor engaged in mining-related work was killed by Naxals who slit his throat Wednesday before torching his SUV in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district, the police said.

The incident occurred at around 11 AM near Kamaloor railway station under Bhansi police station limits, around 450 kms from here, Dantewada superintendent of police Abhishek Pallava told PTI.

The officer said the deceased Ganesh Naidu was engaged by Jindal company for carrying out a prospective survey work for iron ore mining in Pandewar area near Kamaloor.

As per preliminary information, naxals had called up Naidu, who hailed from Jagdalpur in Bastar district, to Kamaloor and after he reached there, they slit his throat and torched his Bolero vehicle, Pallava said.

The deceased was the owner of Anna and Anna Group which deals in mining-related works, he said, adding that the police are investigating the trigger behind Naidu's killing.

Another police official said a Maoist pamphlet was recovered from the spot in which Bhairamgarh Area Committee of Maoists has claimed responsibility for the killing.

"In the pamphlet, the ultras have opposed the mining work in the area," he said.

An operation has been launched to track naxals.

On November 15, naxals killed a road construction contractor and torched six vehicles in neighbouring Sukma district.