Chhattisgarh: BJP leader shot dead by Maoists during election campaign

Narayanpur: A BJP leader was gunned down by Maoists while on the campaign trail on Saturday at Koshalnar village in this restive district of election-bound and Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh’s Left-wing extremism-affected Bastar division.

Police confirmed the death of District Working President Ratan Dubey (45). A force has been despatched to the scene of the crime.

Eyewitnesses reported that a rally led by Dubey was targeted at approximately 1730 hours by hitherto-unidentified ultras who fired a hail of bullets. The grievously-injured office-bearer succumbed while being rushed here for treatment.

Koshalnar is 20 km from this district headquarters and situated within Jhara Ghati Police Station limits. (UNI)