A 16-year-old schoolboy was allegedly beaten to death by Naxals in Puvarti village of Sukma district in Chhattisgarh who suspected him of being a police informer, less than a week after they murdered his 19-year-old older brother over the same suspicion.

In a horrifying example of Naxalite violence, a 16-year-old schoolboy was allegedly beaten to death by Naxals in a village of insurgency-hit Sukma district in Chhattisgarh as the insurgents suspected him of being a police informer, less than a week after the victim’s 19-year-old older brother was killed by the Naxalites over the same suspicion.

As per the police, the victim, 16-year-old Soyam Shankar, was viciously beaten to death by a group of Naxalites on Tuesday night in his native Puvarti village under Jagargunda police station limits, apparently over the suspicion of him being a police informer.

A senior officer, citing preliminary reports, said Shankar, who attended school in another district, had recently arrived in his native village following the death of a close relative.

According to initial investigation, Shankar, studying in a government school in Palnar area of adjoining Dantewada district, had come to Puvarti after the death of a female member of the family who died during childbirth around a week ago, said Sukma Superintendent of Police Kiran Chavan.

The officer said prima facie, it appears the Naxals suspected the schoolboy of being a police informer and killed him.

Notably, it also came to light that Shankar’s older brother, Soyam Sitaram (19) was also brutally murdered by Naxalites in the same village, around a week ago and the family cremated him. However, this information has not been confirmed yet, the SP said.

“After being alerted about his murder, a police team was dispatched to the spot this morning and the body was sent for post-mortem,”

Shankar’s family has left the village and shifted to some other place fearing Naxalites, the officer said, adding further investigation was underway.

Notably, Puvarti is the home village of dreaded Naxalite leader and former commander of Maoists’ PLGA (People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army) battalion No. 1 Hidma and incumbent commander Barse Deva.

The PLGA battalion No. 1 formation has been instrumental in carrying out several deadly attacks on security personnel in south Bastar. Police set up a camp in Purvati in February this year.

(With PTI inputs)