Police jawan hacked to death by suspected Maoists in Chhattisgarh

A police jawan was hacked to death by suspected Maoists in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Bijapur district, police said on Friday.

Assistant constable Rahul Raidu (27),  who was also the nephew of Congress leader Ajay Singh, was posted at Bhairamgarh police station.

Raidu was was attacked late on Thursday close to his workplace, superintendent of police KL Dhruv said.

As per preliminary information, Raidu was reportedly playing cards with some villagers in Sanjay Para area, located on the outskirts of Bhairmagarh town, about 450 kms from Raipur.

Meanwhile, a group of men armed with axes and knives arrived there and after an altercation with the jawan, they attacked him several times leaving him critically injured.

The assailants fled into the forest after committing the crime, the SP said.

Soon after being informed about the incident, police rushed to the spot and admitted the injured jawan to a local hospital.

He was later shifted to Jagdalpur hospital where he succumbed to his injuries during treatment on Friday.

"Prima facie, it appears to be the handiwork of Maoists. Although, everything will be clear after the investigation," Dhruv said. A combing operation has been launched in the interiors of Bhairamgarh region to trace the assailants, he added.