A tribal leader was shot dead allegedly by Maoists in Odisha's Kandhamal district, police said Thursday.

The incident happened in Saulipada village on Wednesday night, they said.

The deceased, identified as Subal Kanhar, was a former sarpanch, said Tapan Kumar Nahak, the inspector-in-charge of Phiringia police station.

A group of over 10 armed Maoists stormed the village, and barged into Kanhar's house. They then took him to the outskirts of the village where they shot him dead, police sources said.

The Maoists suspected that he was working as a police informer, they said.

After receiving a series of threats from the Maoists, Kanhar left his village for Balliguda, where he was living for the last four years. He returned home a couple of months back after a new CRPF camp was set up nearby, locals said.

After the murder, locals started to flee the village out of fear.

Police said a search operation was underway for those behind the murder.

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