Lawmaker killed in Indian state

Three men riding on a
single motorcycle opened fire at Jagabandhu Majhi, whose legs are crippled, as
he attended a public function at the village of Gona in Nabrangpur district.
Police suspect Maoist rebels active in the area for the death of the 39-year
old member of the state's legislative assembly as well as his bodyguard, but
did not rule out that others may have been responsible.
 "We are keeping
all options open," state police chief M.M. Praharaj told Reuters. Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh has said Maoist rebels, who effectively control large
swathes of territory in central and eastern India including Orissa, are the
country's gravest internal security threat. The rebels say they are fighting
for the rights of the poor.