Suspected Maoists shot dead a ration dealer in Latehar district ahead of a day-long band called by the naxals today to protest the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly polls.
Latehar deputy superintendent of police Ashwini Kumar said about 20 armed Naxalites took the ration dealer Kedar Baitha, whom they suspected to be a police informer, to Maruhao village and killed him last night.
Inspector-general of police VD Deshmukh said elaborate security arrangements have been made to prevent any violence during the bandh and police personnel deployed at strategic points.
He denied knowledge of reports that at least 20 men had been kidnapped by Maoists from a village in West Singhbhum district.
"Some days back explosives were recovered from Dargoashai but we don't have any information on that," he said.
According to reports, some women went to the Goelkera police station and claimed that about a 100 armed Naxalites last night picked up at least 20 villagers at Darogasahi village who were believed to be members of the Gram Rakhsha Samiti.
The IG also did not confirm if the Maoists reportedly attacked a passenger bus on the Jamshedpur-Ranchi route.
The Maoists have called the bandh in protest against holding of the Assembly election in the state as well as alleged police atrocities.
Some passenger trains and goods trains are stranded at Daltonganj station in Palamau while long distance buses kept off the roads in the state.
A Latehar report quoting deputy superintendent of police Ashwini Kumar said suspected Maoists shot dead a ration dealer at a village in the Garu police station area after raiding his house last night.
The DSP said about 20 armed Naxalites took the ration dealer Kedar Baitha, whom they suspected to be a police informer, to Maruhao village and killed him.
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