RAIPUR: The headless body of a jawan belonging to the CRPF's elite anti-Naxal Cobra force was found near Jagdalpur in Bastar on Sunday afternoon, on a day when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asked Naxalites to "abjure violence" and "join hands with us to accelerate social and economic development".
The jawan was identified as constable driver Kanhaiya Yadav of the 204 Battalion posted at Mazgaon, 15km from Jagdalpur. "He was returning from leave," said A Ponnuswamy, inspector-general of the CRPF. Cobra, or Combat Battalion for Resolute Action, is a special force of trained commandos, raised by the CRPF in 2008, to strengthen its anti-Naxal operations. Two battalions of Cobra are posted in Bastar region.
A resident of Ghazipur in eastern Uttar Pradesh, Yadav was returning from a 45-day leave. He was expected to report at his post on Saturday night. Instead, his headless body was found just two kilometres from the national highway, near Bakavan, a few kilometres from Jagdalpur.
Some reports said he was travelling on a civilian bus that was halted by suspected Maoists, who made all the passengers disembark. The CRPF jawan was identified and singled out even though he was not wearing a uniform. The police said it could not confirm the reports.
"We identified the body on the basis of an identity card and driving licence. The force is searching the area, trying to locate the severed head," said a CRPF source. "We are not sure if he was beheaded by Naxalites or someone else," said Inspector General police T J Longkumer. The Times of India
