An SRPF head constable was shot dead by Naxals in full public view in Gatta village on Thursday morning when he was shopping there. While the police has launched a manhunt for the killers, senior police officers said that the constable had flouted the standard operating procedure by venturing alone in the village and that too in uniform.
This is the same place where 12 CRPF men had died in a Naxal-triggered blast.
Ramabbul Pande, 50, member of unit IV of the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) complained of high blood pressure on Thursday morning.
“Around 8.30 am he was taken to the Gatta village along with an armed guard to the police medical camp. Pande then went alone to a nearby market,” said Rahul Seth, 6 additional superintendent of police,operations, Gadchiroli.
According to Mr Seth, 2-3 armed Naxals of the civic action committee shot him down. “The armed guard accompanying Pande tried to chase the Naxals who managed to flee taking the advantage of the jungle,” he said.
“We have formed special teams and dispatched them in the nearby jungles to look for the killers. But Pande had flouted the standard operating procedure. Just four days ago we had told the officers not to venture out alone but to go in groups. Pande was in uniform and was alone, hence became the target of the Naxals,” he said.
The incident took place on the next police post in Gatta village,where earlier on March 27, 12 CRPF jawans were killed and 28 injured in a Naxal-triggered blast.