Author: Agencies
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: November 5, 2008
URL: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/rss-leader-shot-dead-by-suspected-maoists-in-.../381839/
After a month's lull in violence ravaged Kandhamal,
suspected Maoists on Wednesday gunned down a local RSS leader sparking fresh
tension in the area.
RSS leader Dhanu Pradhan, who was said to
be on the Maoists' hitlist, was gunned down by three suspected extremists
at Kumarigaon village under Brahmanigaon police station area in Kandhamal
at 1:00 PM, sources said.
The Maoists had earlier claimed that they
killed VHP leader Swami Laxamananda Saraswati on August 23, which sparked
communal violence in the state.
"We have information that a person has
shot dead, but we are yet to confirm on the identity of the victim and the
killers," DIG, Southern Range, R S Koche said over phone.
Senior officials, including Kandhamal Superintendent
of Police Praveen Kumar, along with CRPF personnel, have rushed to the spot.
"We have rushed additional forces, including
the CRPF to the village which is nearly 20 km from Brahmanigaon police station,"
an official at the police station said.
