A contractor has been beaten to death and three others were injured by Maoists in Jharkhand's Chatra district, police said on Thursday.
On Wednesday night, the Maoists belonging to Tritiya Sammelan Prastuti Committee (TSPC) raided Meral village and started thrashing villagers, accusing them of being police informers.
The contractor was identified as Nageshwar Ganjhu of Meramgadda village. His refusal to pay a levy to Maoists apparently led to his death.
According to his family members, Mr Ganjhu was abducted from his home and taken to a nearby village. He was beaten up brutally along with other villagers.
Police reached the village on Thursday morning and launched an operation to arrest the Maoists who are on the run.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world