Suspected Maoists gun down village leader in Orissa

Bhubaneswar, Dec 22 (IANS) Suspected Maoists gunned down a 65-year-old village leader in Orissa, the police said Monday.

'A group of about 30 suspected Maoists entered the house of Saluka Hembram at Salkodihi village in Keonjhar district, some 150 km from here, late Sunday night. They dragged Hembram out from his house and shot him,' police officer R.K. Senapati told IANS.

Hembram was a former sarpanch (village council leader) of nearby Dgarkota panchayat.

The police have seized Maoist leaflets from the spot and have sent the body which has both bullet and axe injuries for post-mortem examination.