Maoists hack BJP leader to death in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur in front of his family members

A BJP leader was beheaded in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Sunday, February 5 by Maoists, marking another incident of a barbaric targeted killing. The leader identified as Nilkanth Kakkem was targeted while he was at his ancestral house in Awapalli for the wedding of his sister-in-law and was attacked with axes and knives after being dragged out of his house. The murder happened in front of his family, sources say. Kakkem was working as the President of the Usur Mandal for the BJP for the last 15 years before and had been an active politician since three decades. 

In the visuals accessed by Republic Media Network, family members of Kakkem's family were seen weeping around his corpse. Kakkem's wife revealed that there were three people who showed up at her house and started attacking the BJP leader with knives. "Three people came from that direction and started attacking him with knives. I rushed to intervene asking why they are stabbing him so they showed me the knife as well. After that, everyone gathered here," the woman said.

Maoists explain reason for murder 

Republic Media Network has learnt that the Maoists even left some flyers wherein they explained the reason for killing Kakkem. In the flyers, they said that Kakkem was manipulating the villagers and carrying out atrocities on them. They also intended to send a message over the claims that Maoists are on the back foot and their influence has significantly weakened in the state. The murder comes just months before Chhattisgarh will undergo Assembly elections later this year. Meanwhile, the police has filed a case in the matter and initiated investigations over the brutal murder.