A BJP worker has been tragically killed in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, with police authorities pointing towards Naxalite involvement. Satyam Punem was allegedly strangled to death on Monday night in the Mujalkanker area, under the Ilmidi police station limits. Initial reports suggest the Maoists accused him of being a police informant. Law enforcement agencies have confirmed that an investigation team has been sent to the site of the incident.
Adding a disturbing layer to the case, a Maoist pamphlet was recovered near the body. The document, purportedly from the Maoist Madded area committee, explicitly stated that Punem continued to act as an informer despite prior warnings. According to law enforcement, the pamphlet alleged that Punem had been warned on three separate occasions but failed to cease his alleged cooperation with the police.
This murder underscores a concerning pattern of Naxalite-driven violence in Chhattisgarh. The Bastar division, a region of seven districts including Bijapur, has tragically recorded close to 40 fatalities in Maoist-related incidents this year. The ongoing conflict poses a significant threat to the lives of civilians and political activists.
Furthermore, the incident follows a grim history of attacks on political figures in the Bastar division. Reports indicate that between January 2023 and December 2024, a total of 11 BJP leaders and workers were killed in various Maoist-associated incidents across the division. This alarming trend raises serious questions about the efficacy of security measures in place to protect targeted individuals from extremist violence.