PM Modi meets parents of Doordarshan's cameraman Achyutanand Sahu, who was killed by Maoists

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met the parents of Doordarshan's cameraperson Achyutanand Sahu, who was killed in a Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh on October 30 last year, in Odisha's Balangir. Sahu and his two colleagues were in Maoist-affected Dantewada to cover the Chhattisgarh election when they were attacked. They were accompanied by a patrolling team. Three policemen were also killed in the Maoist attack which took place in the forests in Aranpur village in Dantewada. . Another police personnel who was critically injured in the attack succumbed to injuries.

Addressing a public gathering in the district, Modi said Sahu, who was targeted by "cowardly" Maoists, was performing his duty of presenting to the world the democratic picture of the country through Doordarshan. He also said sacrifices such as his have only strengthened India's resolve to end this cycle of violence, reported news agency ANI.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the parents of Doordarshan cameraman Achutyanand Sahu, in Odisha's Balangir today. Sahu was killed in a naxal attack in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada on 30 October 2018. pic.twitter.com/BdAeO3a70d

— ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2019

Dantewada district is a Maoist hotbed in the heavily forested central state of Chhattisgarh

DD News had deployed a team to cover the elections in Bastar. The team, accompanied by the police forces, was videotaping a notice put up by Maoists to boycott the elections and stop development works.

Subsequently, Maoists attacked the team, which was accompanied by a dozen security personnel. Sahu was caught in the crossfire before rebels snatched his camera.

Modi, who is in Odisha for a day, launched a number of projects worth over Rs 1,550 crore for the state's development.