Chhattisgarh BJP's Bijapur unit writes to Amit Shah, seeks 'Z' security after murder of leaders by Naxals

Bijapur: In the wake of murder of two BJP leaders by suspected Naxalites in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur, the district unit of the party has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah requesting to provide 'Z' category security to its office-bearers.

In the letter dated March 7, chief of BJP's Bijapur district unit Srinivas Mudliyar said, frustrated over anti-Naxal operations by the BJP government in the state, the Naxalites have been targeting the party leaders.

Mudliyar has sought 'Z' category security for himself and eight other office-bearers of the district unit.

On March 1, BJP leader Tirupati Katla was killed by Naxalites in Toynar village when he had gone to attend a wedding while another leader Kailash Nag was killed in a similar attack in Jangla police station area in the district on March 6.

"Threat of Naxal attacks looms large on BJP office-bearers and workers in Bijapur, which is worst affected by the menace. Since Naxalites had been killing BJP leaders one by one in the district, 'X' category security was provided to several leaders during the last assembly polls in the state. The security arrangement was temporary and it was withdrawn after the assembly polls," Mudliyar said in the letter.

"Recently, a party leader was brutally murdered. There is an atmosphere of fear among BJP leaders and workers in the districts, many of them are on the target of Naxalites. The incidents of murder have prompted party leaders to change their locations from time-to-time," he said.

The Naxalites have become frustrated due to ongoing anti-naxal operations by the BJP government and resorted to target the party leaders, he said in the letter.

He urged the Union home minister to provide permanent 'Z' category security to nine office-bearers of the BJP's district unit.

In the last one year, at least eight leaders or members of the BJP were killed by suspected Naxalites in Maoist-affected areas of the state.