On Way Home from a Wedding, Chhattisgarh BJP Worker Killed by 'Naxalities' in Bijapur

A local worker of the ruling BJP was killed by suspected Naxalites in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur on Friday evening, police said. The deceased, identified as Tirupati Katla, a BJP member of the Janpad Panchayat, was attending a wedding in Toynar village when the incident happened, a senior official said.

As soon as Katla left the venue of the function, he was attacked with sharp-edged weapons. He was rushed to the Bijapur district hospital where he succumbed to injuries, the official noted.

“Tirupati Katla, a (BJP) member of the Janpad Panchayat, was attacked by unknown people while he was attending his relative’s wedding at Toynar village (in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur). He was rushed to the hospital where he succumbed to injuries. Investigation into the matter is underway,” Bijapur SP Jitendra Yadav was quoted by PTI as saying.

BJP spokesperson Kedar Gupta expressed his condolences over Tirupati Katla’s death and assured that “his martyrdom will not be wasted”.

“I extend my deepest condolences to his family, and I can assure you that his martyrdom will not be wasted. BJP government is committed to fighting against Naxalism in the state” said Gupta.

This was the seventh incident of the killing of a BJP leader or member by suspected Naxalites in Maoist-affected areas of Chhattisgarh in one year.

Ahead of the assembly polls in November 2023, Ratan Dubey, the BJP’s Narayanpur district unit vice president was killed by Maoists. Dubey was murdered with a sharp-edged weapon in the Kaushalnar market area under the Jharaghati police station area while he was campaigning for Assembly polls, Additional Superintendent of Police Hemsagar Sidar had said.

A local BJP leader was killed by Naxalites in the Bijapur district in June 2023, while in February last year, three BJP leaders were murdered in separate incidents in the Bastar division.

(With PTI inputs)