Bijapur: The last rites of BJP leader, Tirupati Katla, who was killed by suspected Naxalites yesterday, was performed at Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Saturday afternoon.
Katla was stabbed by a knife when he was returning from a wedding function in Toynar at around 9 pm on Friday. He was rushed to the district hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
Politicians and workers across party lines bade farewell to Katla with tearful eyes. Several leaders including former BJP minister Mahesh Gagda and Congress MLA Vikram Shah Mandavi attended his last rites at Bijapur Muktidham at around 2 pm today.
Later, minister Kedar Kashyap met Katla's family members in Bijapur. He assured that efforts are being taken to ensure that such incidents do not recur.
While paying tribute to Katla, deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma said it is a "cowardly act" of the perpetrators. "This is a cowardly act. Even before this, murders have taken place in Bijapur and the BJP leaders and workers are being targeted. Elections are round the corner and action is being taken against Naxalites so the latter are trying to create fear among people. Also, through such acts, Naxalites are trying to prevent BJP workers from reaching out to the interior areas. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, development will definitely reach every corner of Bastar and all obstacles will be removed," Sharma said.
The deputy CM also said that peace will prevail in Bastar in the coming days. "People of Bastar want development, hence such incidents have to be stopped. As demanded by the Bastar people, hospitals and Anganwadi centres should be opened in the area. Water should reach all fields and development work should be done here. The CM has also assured people of development in Bastar," he added.
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