Maoists kill 'Shikshadoot' in Chhattisgarh's Bastar village

Raipur, Aug 28 (IANS) In a chilling reminder of the persistent threat posed by Maoist insurgents in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region, a 30-year-old “Shikshadoot” was brutally murdered in Sukma district.

The victim, identified as Laxman Barse, was attacked in his home in Silger village under the Jagargunda police station area on Wednesday evening, allegedly by a group of armed Maoists who suspected him of being a police informer.

Barse, a native of Pegadapalli village, had been working as a shikshadoot -- a temporary visiting teacher -- in Mandimarka village, a role that placed him at the heart of efforts to bring education to remote and conflict-ridden tribal areas.

According to police, the assailants arrived at his residence around 7.30 p.m. and began assaulting him in the presence of his family members.

When his relatives tried to intervene, they too were reportedly beaten. The attackers then used sharp-edged weapons to kill Barse on the spot.

This incident has sent shockwaves through the community, especially among other “shikshadoots and educators” working in Maoist-affected areas.

The murder of Barse marks yet another targeted killing in a disturbing pattern.

Earlier this year, two ‘Shikshadoots’ were killed in Bijapur and Dantewada districts under similar suspicions of police collaboration.

With Barse’s death, the civilian toll from Maoist violence in the Bastar region has climbed to approximately 30 in 2025 alone.

Police have launched an investigation and assured that further legal action is underway. However, the broader implications of the attack -- on education access, community trust, and the morale of grassroots workers -- remain deeply troubling.

Silger, where the attack occurred, lies near the volatile Bijapur-Sukma border, a region long plagued by Maoist activity and fraught with mistrust between locals and security forces.

Barse had reportedly received threats from Maoists prior to the attack, underscoring the precarious position of civilians caught between state efforts and insurgent suspicion. His death not only silences a voice of education in the region but also raises urgent questions about the safety and support systems for those working in high-risk zones.

--IANS

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