The red rebels executed the double murder even as the elite anti-Naxal police forces from Orissa and Andhra Pradesh were continuing with their combing operation in neighbouring district of Koraput. Both Koraput and Gajapati districts border Andhra Pradesh.
According to a report, nearly 25 armed naxalites dragged the two village guards, Dinabandhu Mantri and Sadananda Sualsingh, from their homes and fired at them from close quarters. Both died on the spot.
‘Police informers’
At the place of the incident, the naxals left behind a letter stating that both the village guards were killed as they had turned police informers.
Similar action will be taken against the villagers who would be found providing information about their (the naxalites’) movement to the police, the letter warned.
The letter also appealed to the tribal youths to reject the state government’s offer to join the anti-naxal forces as special police officers (SPOs).
The Orissa police had recently launched a drive in naxal-infested southern districts to enroll local tribal youths as SPOs.
