Dantewada: Police constable shot dead by Naxals

Suspected Naxals on Tuesday shot dead a 25-year-old trainee police constable in a crowded market place at Bhansi town in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh, the police said.

Jaikumar Mandavi was shot in the back by suspected Naxals, dressed as locals, in the village when he was returning home after buying grocery with his father, Superintendent of police (Dantewada) Narendra Khare told PTI.

Mandavi was undergoing training at Bastar district's headquarter at Jagdalpur and had come to his hometown three days ago on leave, he said.

According to the officer, at least 50 villagers were present at the market place when the incident took place. The deceased's father informed the Bhansi police station, located nearly 1 km away from the spot, even as the villagers ran helter-skelter after the gun shot.

On receipt of information, Mandavi was shifted to a local hospital where he was declared dead, Khare said, adding Mandavi's body was handed over to the relatives after conducting postmortem, and a hunt is launched to trace the accused.