Raipur, June 22 : The shadow of insurgency deepened once again in Chhattisgarh's conflict-hit Bijapur district, as Maoist rebels executed two civilians, who had surrendered earlier.

The two were murdered in a late-night assault on Saturday. Both the victims were recently surrendered Maoists. They had laid down arms only months ago in hopes of rebuilding a peaceful life.

The attack occurred in Empur village under the Pamed police station area, where a group of armed Maoists abducted the men from their homes. "Their bruised and lifeless bodies were later found in the nearby area. The victims have been identified as Samaiya, a former Maoist who surrendered earlier this year, and Veko Deva, a resident of Empur village," Chandrakant Governa, Additional Superintendent of Police, Bijapur, told IANS.

Both men were abducted from their homes in the Naxal-affected villages of Sendrabor and Empur by a group of armed Maoists, the officer said.

According to local sources, they were brutally assaulted before being executed. Their bodies were later dumped in the village, triggering panic among residents.

A group of armed Maoists stormed the residence of a surrendered cadre late Saturday evening. The victim, along with another villager, was forcibly taken away and later executed on suspicion of being a police informer, they said.

"The bodies were discovered early Sunday, prompting the Bijapur police to dispatch a verification team to the site," the police officer said.

This latest act of violence comes amid intensified anti-Maoist operations across the state. Security forces have recently launched coordinated offensives such as Operation Black Forest and Operation Kagar, resulting in the elimination of several high-ranking Maoist leaders, including CPI(Maoist) General Secretary Nambala Keshava Rao alias Basavaraju.

This marks the fifth targeted killing in the district in just seven days, underscoring a dangerous escalation in retaliation tactics as Maoists react to intensified security operations in the region. These successes, however, appear to have provoked retaliatory attacks by the insurgents, who have increasingly targeted civilians and surrendered cadres.

The killings also coincide with Union Home Minister Amit Shah's two-day visit to Chhattisgarh, during which he is expected to review the state's counterinsurgency strategy and meet with security personnel in Narayanpur.

Police officials have reiterated their commitment to bringing the perpetrators to justice and ensuring the safety of civilians in conflict-affected zones. Investigations are ongoing, and additional security measures are being considered in vulnerable areas.

/IANS