Maoists kill trader in Jharkhand

Gumla (Jharkhand), Mar 22 : Suspected Maoists shot dead a trader at Kotam village in Jharkhand's Gumla district on Sunday.

The slain trader was identified as Mohsin Ansari.

"We got information that in Kotam, Mohsin Ansari has been shot dead by a Maoist. We rushed to the spot after receiving the information," said, R. Tiwari, Sub Inspector of Police, Gumla Rural Police Station.

The son of the middle-aged late trader claimed that Maoist appeared at a brick-kiln and shot dead his father.

A majority of Maoist rebels have ignored repeated calls from the government to renounce violence and negotiate.

Instead, they have stepped up their attacks in recent months, prompting the government to go after them in a concerted strike.

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram had on February 12 defended the use of force against Maoists, saying it was a legitimate right of the Government to establish law and order, build infrastructure and set up welfare measures.

He expressed confidence that the Centre would be able to get rid of the Maoist menace over the next four years. Once the areas are cleared of Maoist elements, development work would be pursued expeditiously.

Referring to the reported offer of talks made by the Maoists through the media recently, Chidambaram said, "Why aren''t the Maoists making a simple statement that we abjure violence?"

The Maoist rebels are apparently waiting for a respite from a security force operations against them.