Thursday, July 7 2005 19:17 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Sambalpur: Suspected Maoists struck terror in villages in Orissa's Sambalpur district, brutally killing five people in the wee hours today (July 7, 2005), just over a month after they shot dead three persons.

The heavily armed ultras, numbering about 30, moved from one village to another for several hours, called out people selectively and axed them to death, police said.

The ultras might have killed the five villagers suspecting them to be police informers, the police said.

The DIG of police (northern range) Pranabindu Acharya and the superintendent of police Sushanta Kumar Nath have rushed to the area.

The sources said those killed were Gurucharan Nayak, the husband of a panchayat member, who was done to death with a crowbar in Tamparsinga village.

Three others, Janam Majhi (35), Deshi Mirdha (35) and Iswar Majhi (40) were hacked to death at neighbouring Banjaritikira hamlet while Surubabu Podha (48), a teacher, was killed at Larabira village.

The attacks continued for several hours, triggering panic in the area.