Date:02/12/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/12/02/stories/2007120250170100.htm

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Maoists kill Mandal Parishad president

Correspondent

Shell-shocked: Relatives of Amangal Mandal Parishad president Panthu Naik seen grief-stricken near the body of the Congress leader killed by Maoists in a temple, 90 km away from Mahabubnagar on Saturday.

MAHABUBNAGAR: After a gap of one year, Maoists struck once again in the district by killing another Congress leader and Amangal Mandal Parishad president, Panthu Naik, in broad daylight inside a temple complex on Saturday.

A two-member action team of CPI (Maoist) shot dead Panthu Naik at point blank range around 10.30 a.m. when he was perambulating around the Shiva Ramalayam temple complex in Mysigandi devastanam, about 90 km away from here. He is the second dalit leader to be eliminated by the Maoists in the recent past although they had pronounced that they would not target them. They had earlier killed Laxmaiah, elder brother of Achampet MLA Vamshi Krishna, at Yelmapally village of Amrabad mandal on October 21, 2006. Panthu Naik was the Chairperson of the APCC Scheduled Tribe Cell.

Forty six-year-old Panthu Naik, who was on ‘deeksha’ (penance) since forty days visited the Mysamma temple every day. As usual, he went there around 9.30 a.m. and after performing pooja, he walked to the Shiva Ramalayam temple that is situated towards the rear. Two Maoists, who were already present in the temple complex, suddenly opened fire causing injuries in his abdomen and the right temple. Both assailants were clad in civilian dress and were carrying an AK 47 rifle and a tapancha respectively.

According to eye witnesses, the extremists threatened the temple priests and followers of Panthu Naik when they tried to raise an alarm. While fleeing to the adjoining forest area, they handed over a slip disclosing the identity of one of them as CPI (Maoist) Mahabubnagar district committee secretary Santhosh Kumar Kiran.

District Collector V. Usha Rani announced Rs. 10 lakh as ex gratia and a job to the kin of deceased. Panthu Naik is survived by wife Chiroli, two daughters and two sons.