Another Teacher Killed by Maoists in Bastar, 6th Such Killing in 2025
The young teacher, a tribal, was abducted by a group of armed Maoists when he was returning to his village after school hours on Friday afternoon.
Raipur: A 26-year-old teacher was killed by Maoists in Bijapur district under south Bastar of Chhattisgarh on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, police said.
Slain teacher Kalu Tati, a resident of Todka village under Gangaloor area in Bijapur district, was posted as ‘sikshadoot’ in the school in the nearby village of Lendra.
A ‘sikshadoot’ functions as a teacher in the government school in Chhattisgarh on honorarium basis.
The young teacher, a tribal, was abducted by a group of armed Maoists when he was returning to his village after school hours on Friday afternoon.
He was then attacked with sharp weapons, leading to his death, police said.
His body was recovered on Saturday morning.
This was the third killing of a teacher in Bijapur district in the last three days.
As many as six teachers have been killed by Maoists in Bastar in the current year so far, Bastar range inspector general of police P Sunderraj told this newspaper.
“This is a new pattern of Maoist violence witnessed in Bastar. The Naxals have started targeting the teachers in Bastar out of frustration as they suffered loss of base in the region. The reopening of the schools in Bastar, closed for over two decades, has also frustrated the Naxals, leading them to choose the teachers as their soft target”, the police officer said.
Sources said Maoists apprehend that the reopening of the schools particularly in remote areas of Bastar will dry up recruitment of children in the cadre.
More than 1,000 schools were closed in Bastar since Naxalism peaked in the region in early 2000.
While many of them were blown up by Maoists, several others were closed due to the Naxal threat.
More than 6,00 schools, closed for the last two and half decades in Bastar, have been reopened in the last four years.
“The killing of innocent civilians and volunteers dedicated to education is an unforgivable crime. Bastar police will ensure that the perpetrators of these heinous acts are identified, pursued, and brought to justice with the strictest possible action”, Mr. Sunderraj said.