Teacher killed by unidentified assailants in Bijapur

Bijapur, Aug 30 (PTI) A 25-year-old man, working as a 'shikshadoot' (temporary visiting teacher in government schools), was killed by unidentified assailants in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, police said on Saturday.

Kallu Tati, a resident of Todka village under Gangaloor police station limits, was murdered on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, an official said.

According to an official statement, Tati was working as a 'shikshadoot' in Lendra village school.

A team of security forces was sent to the spot this morning, and further details are awaited, he said.

Naxalites have been targeting 'shikshadoots' in the Bastar region on suspicion of being police informers, and this murder could be another such incident, police sources said.

At least seven 'shikshadoots' have been killed by Naxalites in four districts of Bastar in the last three years. Five of these deaths have occurred this year, they said.

In the latest incident, Naxalites killed a 'shikshadoot' in Sukma district on August 27, while a similar killing took place in Narayanpur district on August 15.

Last month, two 'shikshadoots' were killed by Naxalites in the Farsegarh area of neighbouring Bijapur district on suspicion of being police informers.

On February 19, two men, including a shikshdoot, were killed in neighbouring Dantewada district.

More than 30 people have lost their lives in Maoist violence in the Bastar region, comprising seven districts, so far this year. PTI COR TKP ARU