Naxalites killed six civilians on the charges of spying against them in insurgency-hit Maanpur area of Rajnandgaon district.
According to police sources, more than 100 heavily armed Naxalites late last night struck at Taregaon, Unchapur and adjoining Korcha villages under Maanpur police station. They mobilized villagers and charged six with working as informers of police.
The Naxalites brutally bashed the villagers in full public glare to create terror among the public. They later took the six villagers into the nearby forest.
The bodies were found in the forest area near Unchapur village this morning. Director General of Chhattisgarh Police Vishwa Rajan said. The rebels had brutally slit the throats of villagers before dumping the bodies in the forest.
The victims included the village sarpanch (head) of Taregaon, Veersai Mandavi (36). Sources said that the villagers had been helping the state authorities to track the movement of Naxalites in the area. The six however paid a heavy cost for assisting the police in maintaining law and order.
The area that adjoins Maharashtra border has been hit with Left extremism. July last year, the rebels ambushed the police party in the Maanpur area, killing 29 security personnel including Rajnandgaon Superintendent of Police Vinod Kumar Choubey.
Sources said, the villagers had brought the bodies to their respective villages. Senior police officials from Durg and Rajnandgaon district headquarters rushed to the spot.