Suspected Naxalites killed two farmers in Bijapur district of south Bastar on Wednesday for defying the extremist diktat to stop cultivating their fields.

IG (Bastar) R K Vij said Naxalites hacked to death tribal farmer Kudhi Mangru of Chareli village as he was working in his field. “Another tribal farmer, Potai Mangu of Bedka village, was killed for violating the diktat,” Vij added. The IG said about 60 Maoists were present in Bedka village when Mangu was killed. “They also looted valuables and animals of the deceased,” Vij claimed.

In recent weeks, there have been many other attacks on farmers in the Bastar region for not adhering to the diktat. On July 17, suspected Maoists killed four farmers in Bijapur’s Gangaloor area. On July 8, two farmers in Chintagufa village were killed for trying to cultivate their fields.

Meanwhile, the “in-camera” meeting of the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly to discuss Maoist-related issues will now be held on Thursday. The meeting had to be postponed as senior leaders from the state were in Delhi to attend the swearing-in ceremony of President Pratibha Patil.