Odisha: Hardcore militia member involved in murder of sarpanch arrested

Koraput: A hardcore militia member of Nandapur Area Committee was arrested for his alleged involvement in the murder of a Sarpanch in Odisha’s Koraput district, police said today.

The arrested militia member has been identified as Apana Seda of Balliyaguda village under Padwa police station limits.

Acting on a tip-off, the Koraput police launched a search operation and apprehended Seda. He was involved with the murder of Jaga Khara, sarpanch of Nandapur panchayat who was killed by Maoists in Aug 2017.

Also read: Maoists kill sarpanch by slitting throat in Odisha’s Koraput

Reportedly, a group of 50 armed Maoists had barged into the house of Khara on Aug 7, 2017 when he was asleep and dragged him outside. The extremists later killed him by slitting his throat.

Furthermore, sources in the police said the cops will write to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to interrogate the accused for his alleged involvement in murder of two Andhra politicians in September last year. “We suspect he was involved in the killing of TDP MLA Kidari Sarvewara Rao of Arku constituency of Andhra Pradesh and former MLA Siberi Soma,” a source in the police said.