Suspected Maoists late on Wednesday night gunned down cousin of Chhattisgarh forest minister Vikram Usendi after abducting him from his house in the village of Solangi in Kanker district, nearly 200 km from here, the police said on Thursday.
According to the police, around a dozen armed Naxals stormed the village in the dead of night and dragged Sumat Usendi, 45, out of his house. They then forced him to accompany them.
The rebels later executed him on the outskirt of the village by first shooting him from point blank range and then slitting his throat.
His body was recovered early on Thursday morning.
The body bore three bullet marks.
Sumat was a former member of Kanker zilla panchayat. His wife Urmila Usendi currently represents the seat.
“Sumat was not on Maoists’ hit list. Hence, we have not provided him security cover. A probe is on to ascertain the motive of the killing”, Kanker district superintendent of police (SP) Rajendra Narayan Das said.