Eight of a family massacred in Chhattisgarh

Maoist guerrillas have allegedly killed eight members of a family, including two minor girls, over a property dispute in a Chhattisgarh village, police said on Wednesday on the basis of a complaint.

Police were informed about the tragedy by a surviving member of the family - Ramain Vishwakarma - who is said to have walked barefoot several km of hilly forested areas Wednesday evening to reach the Koilibera police station in Kanker district of Bastar region.

The region is dominated by armed leftwing radicals and comes under Abujhmad region, known as headquarters of the banned outfit Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist).

Vishwakarma told police that eight of his family members, most of them women, including two minor girls, were killed by insurgents, who also cremated the bodies near a river.

"The incident took place at Kesikodi village Tuesday afternoon and (is) related to a land dispute between two families. The Maoists have killed eight persons of the family headed by the complainant," state police chief Vishwa Ranjan said.

Sources in Kanker district said Maoist commander Nagesh ordered the massacre after the family refused to obey his order for settlement of the property dispute.

Kanker police chief Ajay Yadav, however, said they were "yet to reach the incident site as it is heavily forested and dominated by Maoists. We will confirm the incident only after reaching there".

Police sources said dozens of policemen, who left for the village late evening, were moving cautiously in the dense forested area as roads to the village are laid with landmines planted by rebels.

The police team is expected to reach the village by Thursday noon.