Abducted JD-U worker’s body found in Bihar

PATNA - The body of a worker of Bihar’s ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U), who was abducted by the Maoists, was found in Gaya district early Sunday, police said.

The body of Amrendra Prasad, one of the two JD-U workers abducted by the guerrillas, was found near a village in Gaya, about 100 km from here. The district is considered to be a stronghold of Maoists.

Maoists abducted Amrendra Prasad and Uday Prasad Friday night during election campaign but Uday was later freed.

Fear of Maoist violence in the last two rounds of the six-phase polls Nov 9 and Nov 20 has worried top officials. Votes will be counted Nov 24. The polls began Oct 21.

The first four phases of the state elections — to pick a new 243-member legislative assembly — have passed off peacefully except for stray incidents of violence.

The Communist Party of India-Maoist had declared that it would intensify attacks to disrupt the election process and enforce its boycott of the polls.

The state government has admitted that 33 of Bihar’s 38 districts are Maoist-affected.