Two former village sarpanchs were killed in separate incidents by Naxalites in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, police said on Thursday, December 5, 2024. The victims, Suklu Parsa and Sukhram Avlam, were abducted and later found dead with pamphlets left near their bodies, taking responsibility for the murders.

Parsa, a resident of Adavada village, was kidnapped on December 3 while returning home. His family immediately reported the incident to the Bhairamgarh police, and his daughter made a heartfelt plea on social media for his release. Tragically, his body was discovered the following morning in the Bhairamgarh police station area. Naxalites accused Parsa of being associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), as claimed in the pamphlets recovered at the site.

In a similar incident, Sukhram Avlam, who lived in Shanti Nagar, Bijapur, was abducted on December 4 near Murga Bazar while visiting his native village for farming. His body was later found near Kaika village in the Naimed police station area. According to police, pamphlets issued by the Gangalur area committee of Naxalites accused him of assisting the police in setting up a camp.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Chandrakancha Gavarna confirmed that investigations into both killings have been initiated. "Sukhram was returning home when he was stopped by two individuals, taken into the forest, and later killed. His body was recovered soon after," Gavarna said.

These killings add to the grim toll of at least 55 lives lost to Naxalite violence in the Bastar division of Chhattisgarh this year. The division comprises seven districts, including Bijapur, which remains a stronghold of Naxalite activity.