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West Bengal Timeline 2010
 
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Date
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Incidents
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January 1
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Cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed
Bhagbat Singh (52), a local leader of the ruling Communist Party
of India-Marxist (CPI-M), in a village in the West Midnapore District,
about 15 kilometers from the Orissa border.
Two persons, suspected to be Maoists,
were arrested from a village in Birbhum District in connection
with recent landmine blasts in neighbouring West Midnapore District.
Maoists denied responsibility
for removing clips from railway track near Gidni station in West
Bengal early December 30 which might have led to a major train
disaster had the sabotage not been detected by alert railway men.
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January 1-2
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A school teacher, also a CPI-Marxist
supporter, was allegedly tricked by an acquaintance who took him
inside a forest where a waiting group of armed Maoists shot at
him but he managed to escape by feigning dead, Police said on
January 2.
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January 2
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Three CPI-Maoist-backed PCPA cadres
were killed at Joynagar near Lalgarh in West Midnapore District
after Security Forces opened fire on a PCPA rally.
The Maoists shot dead two CPI-Marxist
members at Belapahari after trying them in a 'kangaroo' court
on charges of providing information to the Police
At least two suspected Maoists
were killed and one was injured in a gun battle with Police in
Lalgarh.
Maoists and cadres of the PCPA
set ablaze three trucks at Goaltore in the West Midnapore District.
A PCPA squad of nearly 20 to 25
rode into the centre of the Midnapore town at Tantigeria on 10
motorbikes, fired in the air and set ablaze two tractors and a
truck of the Food Corporation of India which carried wheat.
Train services in the Kharagpur-Tatanagar
route of South-Eastern railway were disrupted after a landmine
hoax created panic in West Midnapore District.
The Maoists have called for a
bandh on January 3 in West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Orissa,
Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh to protest alleged Police atrocities
and violation of human rights and price rise.
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January 2-3
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Two brothers were among three
persons killed by suspected Maoists in the West Midnapore District.
With these cases, the total number of killings in the District
has now gone up to 65 since December.
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January 3
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In continuing arson in the West
Medinapur District, the PCPA cadres on set ablaze to three trucks
at Amlasole and Bulanpur in protest against alleged attack on
'innocent tribals' by the Police.
The CPI-Maoist cadres who had
killed one Bhagbat Singh (52), a local leader of the ruling CPI-M,
in a village in the West Midnapore District, about 15 kilometres
from the Orissa border on January 1 also ransacked a liquor shop
in the area and looted INR two lakh , a senior Police officer
said.
Nearly 100 people have been killed
by Maoists in Lalgarh-Jhargram area in the last three months of
2009, raising serious concerns in the Home Ministry.
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January 3-4
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A supporter of the CPI-Marxist
was killed by suspected CPI-Maoist cadres in the Lalgarh area
of West Midnapore District.
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January 4
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The dead body of a CPI-Marxist
supporter Shankar was recovered from Burishol.
Illegal firearms were recovered
from a BSNL telephone exchange in Tiljala on the eastern fringe
of Kolkata.
The West Bengal Police is set
to strike at the Maoists once again.
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January 6
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Suspected CPI-Maoist cadres raided
the forest beat office at Gapiballavpur block (administrative
division) in the West Midnapore District and looted cash from
the employees.
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January 6-7
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Suspected CPI-Maoist cadres killed
a CPI-Marxist member in the Bankura District.
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January 7
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A joint operation against Maoists
was launched in West Bengal with Police forces of West Bengal
and Orissa launching a major ground offensive against the Maoists
at Gapiballavpur in West Midnapore District.
The State will have a new centre
for raising a Combined Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) force
of 1,000 personnel, which will come up in Salboni.
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January 7-8
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Two persons were killed in Lalgarh
in West Midnapore District on January 7 by cadres of the CPI-Maoist.
With this, the total number of killings attributed to Maoists
in the region in 2010 reached 12.
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January 8
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Chhatradhar Mahato, convener of
the PCPA and 151 inmates at the Midnapore Central Correctional
Home began a fast-unto-death on January 8, demanding withdrawal
of all cases on charges of their links with the Maoists and those
under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
The West Bengal Government said
the Police and intelligence agencies have got information about
Maoist leader Kishan hiding in the State and he is likely to be
arrested soon.
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January 9
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The SFs recovered 120 landmines
besides firearms and other weapons in the Lalgarh area of West
Midnapore District.
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January 10
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West Bengal Home Secretary Ardhendu
Sen said that CPI-Maoist politburo member leader Koteshwar Rao
alias Kishan, who is operating in Junglemahal; comprising
Districts of West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia would be captured
soon.
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January 10-11
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Suspected CPI-Maoist cadres killed
a CPI-Marxist leader in the Simlapal area of Bankura District.
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January 11
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The West Bengal Government will
ask for additional Central Para Military Forces (CPMFs) for combating
the CPI-Maoist menace in the State, Chief Secretary A.M. Chakraborti
said.
Director General of Police (DGP)
Bhupinder Singh said, "We need more companies of paramilitary
forces to control the situation in these [Purulia, Bankura and
West Midnapore] Districts. We will ask for 10 companies of CPMFs
during tomorrow’s [January 12] meeting.
The State Government has sent
one of the three companies of its Armed Police — who received
commando training from the Punjab Police at Patiala — to Purulia,
Bankura and West Midnapore Districts.
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January 13
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Determined to spoil the Trinamool
Congress chief Mamata Banerjee’s rally at Jhargram in West Midnapore
District on January 15, the leadership of the CPI-Maoist-backed
PCPA is not ruling out the possibility of violence during the
meeting.
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January 14
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The West Bengal State CID in a
raid in Asansol seized 36 guns with fake licences from a Government
office of coalmines.
The CID also said it has unearthed
a major arms racket involved in acquiring illegal firearms through
private security agencies using forged licences and then selling
them off to several militant groups in North Bengaland CPI-Maoist
in the Left Wing Extremism-affected Districts of the State.
The CID has also recovered more
than 50 licences, which were forged from different parts of the
country, including Jammu and Kashmir, Bhagalpur and Munger in
Bihar, and Kohima in Nagaland.
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January 19
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The CPI-Maoist-backed PCPA has
called for a 12-hour bandh (general shut down) in three
Maoist-affected Districts of Purulia, Bankura and West Midnapore
to protest against the alleged killing of two of their supporters
by joint-security forces.
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January 20
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A laptop and a large cache of
arms were recovered in a raid on a CPI-Maoist camp in a forest
area near Lalgarh in the West Midnapore District. Meanwhile, the
SFs are trying to ascertain whether the laptop belonged to Kishan.
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January 25
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A supporter of the Communist Party
of India–Marxist was shot dead by suspected Maoists in the Salboni
region of West Midnapore District.
Suspected CPI-Maoist cadres raided
a Police camp at Satnala in the Barikul region of Bankura District,
abducting two Policemen and snatching firearms from the camp.
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January 27
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The CPI-Maoist cadres killed a
CPI-Marxist leader Ranjit Hembram in Bankura District on January
27.
Suspected CPI-Maoist cadres shot
dead a Trinamool Congress worker near Jhargram in West Midnapore
District.
A suspected CPI-Maoist cadre was
killed by the Police in an encounter in the hilly terrain of Belpahari
in West Midnapore District.
Separately, the Maoists set ablaze
Chandabila gram panchayat (village level local self Government
institution) office and one Police outpost.
Ajoy Pande, one of the two Indian
Reserve Battalion constables, who were suspected to have been
abducted by the Maoists during the attack on the Police camp at
Shatnala-Majgeria on January 25, returned to Barikul Police Station
near the camp on January 27.
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January 28
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The State Government cleared INR
27 crore for the combat force on January 28, but more is required,
officials said.
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January 29
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Suspected CPI-Maoist cadres killed
a CPI-Marxist cadre at Salboni in the West Midnapore District
while injuring two others.
State Home Secretary Ardhendu
Sen said only Lalgarh is of concern at the moment. Asked if the
Government was worried about the political clashes, he said: "Some
problems are there, but over the past few weeks, there haven't
been many such incidents. Other than Lalgarh, nothing is of concern,"
Sen said.
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January 31
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The decomposed dead body of Maruti
Wagare, a trooper of the CRPF missing since January 23 was found
from a sack on January 31 near Lalgarh in the West Midnapore District.
10 Police personnel, including
a Deputy Superintendent of Police, were injured during an exchange
of fire between the SFs and the CPI-Maoist in Purulia District.
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February 1
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The CPI-Maoist cadres abducted
Patul Singh Sardar, a CPI-Marxist worker, from his house at Girighati
village and subsequently killed him in the West Midnapore District.
Some posters left behind by the Maoists claimed Sardar to be a
Police spy, Police said.
Around 2,000 CPI-Maoist and the
PCPA cadres with men marching behind women attacked a Police Station
triggering an exchange of fire with the Security Force personnel
in the Bankura District. Six women were hit in the Police firing.
Two died on way to hospital. Six Policemen were also injured from
spears and other sharp weapons. Urmila Singh Sardar, a Maoist
women's squad leader and wife of Maoist leader Rajaram Sardar,
was arrested after she tripped and fell. Three more Maoists were
arrested later.
Maoist politburo member leader
Koteshwar Rao alias Kishan sent a four-page 'open letter'
to Union Railway Minister and Trinamool Congress Chief Mamata
Banerjee, confirming his willingness to conditional talks.
The State officials are preparing
a blueprint that stresses the need for hi-tech surveillance to
keep track of the Maoists.
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February 3
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The indefinite shutdown called
by the PCPA in three West Bengal Districts against alleged atrocities
by the joint Security Forces evoked partial response on the second
day.
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February 4
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The West Bengal Government is
raising a new counter-insurgency force to be based in the Salbani-Goaltore
area of West Midnapore District in the State.
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February 6
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A CPI-Marxist supporter Basu Das
was shot dead by suspected CPI-Maoist cadres in a Birbhum village.
A pickup truck loaded with paddy
was set ablaze by PCPA supporters in West Midnapore.
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February 8
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Gurucharan Kisku alias
Marshal, a prominent deputy of top CPI-Maoist leader Kishen has
quit the party with several of his followers, accusing the Maoist
outfit of harming tribal interests.
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February 9
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The CPI-Maoist backed PCPA offered
to hold unconditional talks with the Centre as well as the West
Bengal Government.
PCPA supporters held black-flag
processions in several areas of the three Maoist-affected Districts
-West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia - on the day in protest against
the meeting between the Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram and
the Chief Ministers.
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February 10
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The CPI-Maoist cadres opened fired
on the helicopter carrying the West Bengal Director General of
Police when he was conducting an aerial surveillance of Lalgarh
and other Maoist-controlled areas.
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February 11
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A CPI-Marxist worker, Baren Singh
(45), was shot dead by the CPI-Maoist cadres in Belpahari area
of West Midnapore District. Maoists raided Baren's house at Gohalbera
village at about 7.30 PM, dragged him out and shot him dead.
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February 12
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Maoist-backed PCPA has offered
to discuss peace and development with the Trinamool Congress party
in West Bengal. But the PCPA wants to talk to Trinamool Member
of Parliament (MP) Kabir Suman only.
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February 13
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Accusing the CPI-Maoist leader
Kishan of failing to address the grievances of the tribals, his
long term aide Gurucharan Kisku alias Marshal has formed
his own squad. He said Kishan is an "outsider" who did not understand
tribal sentiments.
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February 15
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At least 24 SF personnel, mostly
belonging to the Eastern Frontier Rifles, were killed and several
others injured when a large group of CPI-Maoist cadres attacked
a SF camp at Silda in West Midnapore. The Maoists triggered several
blasts before opening fire on the SF personnel. Before leaving,
the Maoists looted firearms and set the camp ablaze.
Maoist politburo member Koteshwar
Rao alias Kishan claimed that several sophisticated weapons,
including AK-47 and SLR rifles, were looted by the Maoists and
threatened that they would henceforth act in a similar manner
unless the security operations were stopped. He said, "Chidambaram
[the Union Home Minister] has been constantly asking us to abjure
violence and saying that the Centre is ready to speak, but this
will not happen. Once the joint forces stop operation, we will
also stop violence within 24 hours." "In the last two months,
several persons were killed in various States in the name of 'Operation
Green Hunt'. This was a counter-offensive in response to the Centre's
offensive," Kishan was quoted as saying by a local news channel.
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February 16
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The death toll in the CPI-Maoist
attack on EFR camp in the hamlet of Silda in West Midnapore District
increased to 25. A civilian, identified as Gurupada Hasda, died
from a splinter injury in a landmine blast at about two kilometres
away from the incident site. As reported earlier, 24 EFR troopers
were killed in the incident.
Jagari Baskey, one of the most
top members of the CPI-Maoist, led the Maoist attack on Silda
EFR camp under the supervision of Koteswar Rao alias Kishan.
Though Madan Mahato, who leads a squad in the Belpahari-Banspahari
belt and Kundan Pahan, who operates along the Bengal-Jharkhand
border, were also present, sources said it was Jagari, who led
the charge. According to intelligence sources, two Maoist squads
- Dalma and Ayodhya - were used in the attack .The Dalma squad
primarily operates in the East Singhbhum region of Jharkhand.
Though a tribal squad, most of the leaders and cadres are Bengali.
On the other hand, the Ayodhya squad active in the Belpahari region
of West Bengal, is a Bengali squad with tribal language speaking
locals.
Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram
talking about the attack admitted that there were "indications
of failure in some aspects," which only a detailed review would
reveal.
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February 17
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The West Bengal Government admitted
a lapse in security and ordered an inquiry into the Police role
in the turn of events that led to February 15 Maoist attack at
the EFR security camp at Silda in West Midnapore District.
The State decided to wind up and
relocate security camps in Jangalmahal that were perceived to
be vulnerable. These include camps in Gidhni, Dharampur and Jamtolgora
(in remote jungles), Banspahari and Baishnabpur (on the bank of
Tarapheni river and Ghagra forest) and 11 others in Belpahari.
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February 18
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West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb
Bhattacharjee conceded the Police forces' lack of alertness. Bhattacharjee
also announced that the State would launch an offensive soon.
The State Government decided to
raise a battalion of special combat forces to deal with Maoists.
The State Government also decided to recruit 1,500 persons of
the rank of constable in Kolkata Police to raise another special
combat force. Another 3,500 constables would be recruited to strengthen
the State Police.
Suspected Maoists went on the
rampage at a busy market in Phulkusma town in Bankura District
as they looted people, damaged houses, set ablaze shops and decamped
with nearly INR 300,000 in cash.
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February 20
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Susen Mahato, a close confidant
of CPI-Maoist leader Koteswar Rao alias Kishan, died after
he sustained serious injuries during the attack on the EFR camp
at Sildah, said Director General of Police (DGP) Bhupinder Singh.
According to him, Susen, who managed to escape after suffering
serious injury during the encounter on February 15, succumbed
to his injuries on February 17. "Three to five Maoist attackers,
including Susen, were killed in the encounter as per information
available with us," he said.
According to new intelligence
input, a 300-400 strong Maoist attack force, fleeing a crackdown
in Chhattisgarh, has sneaked into West Bengal and is preparing
to launch more brutal attacks than the one in Silda on February
15.
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February 21
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The CPI-Maoist politbureau member
Koteshwar Rao alias Kishan admitted that five Maoists were
killed during the attack on the Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR)
camp at Silda in West Midnapur District on February 15. He identified
those killed as Sushen Mahato, Ujjal, Vijay, Chandan and Sujit
Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist
shot dead two local leaders of the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist
(CPI-M), identified as Karali Mahato and Baneshwar Mahato, in
Dulukti village in the Bandwan region of Purulia District. Maoists
claimed responsibility for the twin murders, accusing the victims
of being Police informers.
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February 22
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Lalmohan Tudu, the president of
CPI-Maoist-backed PCPA and at least two other PCPA cadres who
had taken part in the Shilda EFR camp massacre were killed in
Lalgarh in the West Midnapore District. However, the dead body
of only Lalmohan Tudu was recovered by the Police.
The Police picked up a man from
Belpahari in connection with the Silda attack.
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February 24
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Two bodies were recovered from
different spots of the West Midnapore District. "One of the dead
bodies, found at Salboni village near Jhargram, is of Tathagata
Mahato who was a CPI (M) [Communsit Party of India-Marxist] supporter.
It was found in a decomposed state and seems he was killed few
days ago. The other body is of Tapan Das, a resident of the Sitanathpur
village, and it had bullet injuries. We are investigating both
the cases," Verma said.
A Police officer, Rabi Lochan
Mitra, and a CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Dule, were killed
and two others injured in a gunfight between the SFs and the Maoists
at Sarenga in the Bankura District.
The seven-day-long shutdown called
by the PCPA in the West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia Districts
in protest against the killing of its President Lalmohan Tudu
by the Police commenced.
Three persons, identified as Asish
Mahato, Manas Mahato and Sukhlal Soren, were arrested in connection
with the Maoist attack on EFR camp in Sildha. Asish and Manas
had purchased a jeep and a pick-up van on February 5 from Kharagapur
in West Midnapore which were used in the attack.
It was revealed that the Vodafone
cell phone number 9734695789 of Maoist leader Koteswar Rao alias
Kishan actually belongs to Sisir Nag, a Police constable. The
cell phone was snatched away from him when he was abducted by
supporters of People’s Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA)
on September 27, 2009. However, Union Home Ministry made no calls
on this number to contact Kishan.
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March 2
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Venkateswar Reddy alias
Telugu Dipak (40), a top leader of the CPI-Maoist and suspected
mastermind behind the February 15 attack on Eastern Frontier Rifles
personnel in Silda in West Midnapore District was arrested by
the West Bengal Police from Sarshuna on the southern fringes of
Kolkata, the State capital.
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March 4
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Arrested CPI-Maoist leader Venkatesh
Reddy alias Telugu Deepak, admitted that he was tasked
with setting up a safe corridor between the forested areas of
West Bengal's south-western Districts (known as Jangalmahal) and
Nandigram and said the Trinamool Congress party had provided Maoists
with arms and that they, in turn, gave supporters of the party
arms training during the movement in Nandigram.
The West Bengal Government declined
to comment on Maoist Politburo member Koteswar Rao alias
Kishan's offer to hold talks with the Centre, provided Maoist
leader Deepak is released unconditionally.
About 250 kilograms of explosive
materials, suspected to be stockpiled by the CPI-Maoist was recovered
by Security Forces (SFs) after a gunfight with the Maoists at
Shirshi in the Lalgarh region of West Medinipur District. Among
the cache was 200 kilograms of ammonium nitrate, 50 kilograms
of sulphur and a gas cylinder.
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March 5
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The CPI-Maoist cadres abducted
headmaster of Shibram Satpathy School and CPI-M member Ranjit
Duley from Sarulia in Bankura District. Police suspect that Ranjit’s
abduction has a revenge motive.
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March 7
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The cadres of CPI-Maoist killed
a daily labourer, identified as Shibshankar Das, in West Midnapore
District, suspecting him to be a Police informer. The bullet-riddled
body of Shibshankar Das was found near Chotokalsibhanga village
under the Salboni Police station area. Maoist-backed Sidhu Kanhu
Gana Militia, the armed wing of People’s Committee against Police
Atrocities, claimed responsibility for the killing.
A Maoist, identified as Gurcharan
Hembram, was killed in an encounter when Security Force personnel,
who went to rescue a teacher abducted from Bankura District, were
fired upon by Maoists at the Bhalukbasa forest near Lalgarh in
West Midnapore District. Five Maoists were injured in the encounter.
Four Maoist posters were found
pasted on the walls of the Midnapore bus stand in Midnapore town
near the residence of the District Superintendent of Police and
the District Police headquarters.
A worker of the ruling CPI-M was
shot dead by cadres of the CPI-Maoist at Golbandhi in West
Midnapore District.
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March 8
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Police claimed that five Maoists
were killed in a series of explosions set off by them to mark
International Women’s Day in Gadra village of West Midnapore.
The claim of deaths could not be verified as the Security Forces
did not go to the village where the blasts were triggered.
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March 9
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School teacher and CPI-M leader
Ranjit Duley, abducted by Maoists from a school in Bankura District
on March 4, was released unharmed at a remote place between Goaltore
and Pingboni in West Midnapore District.
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March 10
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West Bengal's DGP Bhupinder Singh
said that the "inter-State joint operation," that was being planned
for so long, has been on for the last three days.
Six additional companies of the
Central Reserve Police Force arrived in the State during the day.
The CPI-Maoist leader Koteswar
Rao alias Kishan threatened that the Maoist cadres could
"blow up Writers' Buildings [Secretariat of West Bengal] any day".
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March 11
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The West Bengal Government is
set to press charges under the Unlawful Activities Prevention
Act (UAPA) against 10 persons arrested for alleged Maoist activities
over the last few months. State Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen said,
"Charges under the UAPA are proposed to be pressed against 10
persons arrested for engaging in Left-wing extremist activities."
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March 14
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Several gelatine sticks weighing
about one kilogram were found from a bus in Durgapur town in Burdwan
District. A bomb disposal squad came from Kolkata and defused
the explosives.
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March 15
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In day-long operations over vast
areas of Jangalmahal in the West Midnapore District, the joint
Security Forces (SFs) arrested 14 cadres of the CPI-Maoist, including
a ‘squad leader’ Parameswar Mahato, known to be active in the
West Midnapore belt.
During a combing operation from
Arsha village on Ayodhya Hills in Purulia District, Police intercepted
two persons named Gobinda Besra and Ramesh Mahato and recovered
a huge quantity of explosives. However, it was not clear if they
had any link with Maoists.
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March 16
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Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist
shot dead Tapan Dolui, a local leader of ruling CPI-M, near Lalgarh
in West Midnapore District.
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March 17
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A group of 25 to 30 armed cadres
of the CPI-Maoist ransacked the party office of the ruling CPI-Marxist
in Jhargram town’s ward 6 and set it ablaze.
The Police arrested 11 suspected
Maoists, including Nanigopal Goswami, an important leader of the
Sidhu Kanu Gana Militia, the militant wing of the Maoist-backed
People’s Committee against Police Atrocities, in the Goaltore
region during several raids since March 15.
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March 18
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A large number of supporters of
the PCPA clashed with the Police when the PCPA supporters tried
to lay siege to the Manikpara Police station near Jhargram in
West Midnapore District.
Maoist politburo member Koteshwar
Rao alias Kishan threatened a counter attack against the
ongoing Operation Green Hunt against Maoists. Kishan called a
48-hour strike from March 22 in seven States — West Bengal, Bihar,
Jharkhand, Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and in three Districts
of Maharashtra.
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March 20
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Asit Mahato, spokesperson of the
PCPA, escaped from the joint forces when they raided Bhulageria
in Lalgarh in West Midnapore District. Maoists and PCPA's mass
militia squad blasted two landmines and entered into a gun battle
with the Security Forces. A Police officer said five Maoists had
been arrested from Lalgarh, Salboni and Jhargram including senior
Maoist Biru Soren. Around 30 villagers of Bhulageria have been
detained for interrogation.
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March 21
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The CPI-Maoist cadres attacked
Security Forces who were trying to reconstruct a camp at Bhalukchira
in the Sarenga Police station area in Bankura District. There
were no casualties. There were reports that the firing was preceded
by landmine explosions.
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March 21
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Santosh Murmu, a supporter of
the Maoist-backed PCPA, was shot dead at Belpahari in West Midnapore
District. The PCPA leadership accused the Communist Party of India-Marxist
(CPI-M)-backed Gana Pratirodh Committee for the killing.
Suspected Maoists set ablaze an
office of the ruling CPI-M and the homes of three CPI-M supporters
at Bagjhappa in Jhargram District.
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March 22
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Cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed
Hemanta Pradhan (45), secretary of the ruling Communist Party
of India-Marxist (CPI-M) local committee, at Dhanghori, Jhargram
in West Midnapore District.
The CPI-Maoist cadres blew up
a stretch of the railway track between Midnapore and Godapiasal
stations in West Midnapore District affecting the services in
the Adra-Midnapore section of the South Eastern Railway (SER)
during their two-day shutdown.
The Maoists also triggered landmine
blasts on railway tracks between Jhargram and Gidhni in West Midnapore
District.
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March 23
|
The CPI-Maoist cadres abducted
and killed Basir Khan, a supporter of the ruling CPI-M, at Joynagar
village in Lalgarh area of West Midnapore District, suspecting
him to be a Police informer.
A schoolbag packed with dynamite
sticks and Maoist posters was recovered in Howrah District from
the toilet of a general compartment of the DN 210 Joynagar Express
coming from Bihar to Howrah.
|
|
March 24
|
Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist
shot dead two persons, identified as Shibu Mondal and Hemu Dey,
at Adharia village in West Midnapore District, suspecting them
to be Police informers.
|
|
March 25
|
A trooper of the Combat Battalion
for Resolute Action (CoBRA) suffered bullet injuries in a gun
battle with Maoists that lasted more than seven hours in the Lakhanpur
forest in West Midnapore District. Two Maoists are suspected to
have been either seriously injured or killed in the incident.
Several persons were arrested and some landmines recovered from
the incident site. Director-General of Police (DGP) Bhupinder
Singh said that the Police suspected that a top Maoist leader
was present during the exchange of fire.
The Maoists triggered five landmine
explosions, targeting the Security Forces near Dharampur early
in the day. A Police Constable suffered a minor injury in the
explosion.
The Maoists set ablaze an office
of the ruling CPI-M at Silda and triggered a low intensity explosion
inside the office.
A 100-strong squad of armed Maoists
attacked a forest beat office at Etela and set it ablaze. The
Maoists then damaged the staff quarters, broke down walls of a
quarter under construction and set ablaze the entire complex.
A top squad leader of the CPI-Maoist,
Bikram alias Abhisek Mukherjee, a former Jadavpur University
student, was killed along with three other Maoists in an encounter
with the Security Forces (SFs) at Lakhanpur in Hathilot forest
of Jangalmahal in West Midnaporer District. Bikram’s senior comrade,
‘field commander’ Bikash, who has been overseeing the expansion
of Maoist base in Jangalmahal, was seriously injured in his first
ever encounter with the forces in the forests spread over 48 square
kilometres.
The body of Sambhu Mahato — a
Maoist squad leader in charge of Goaltore — was found in Bhalukbhasa
jungle.
Maoist politburo member Koteswar
Rao alias Kishan is suspected to have been seriously injured
during the seven-hour-long gun-battle between security forces
and the Maoists. The Police also suspect that the insurgents suffered
heavy casualties during the exchange of fire and are pegging the
casualty figure at around 10, although none of the dead bodies
could be recovered on March 26. Though West Bengal Director-General
of Police Bhupinder Singh declined to comment on whether Kishan
was injured, he said: "It is suspected that several of those rebels
injured in the firing have succumbed to their injuries." There
was also a report that a student of the city-based Jadavpur University
was one of the Maoists killed in the exchange of fire, but Singh
said there was no confirmation on the matter.
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|
March 26
|
Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist
shot dead a supporter of ruling CPI-M, identified as Tarani Kumbhakar,
at Bandwan in Purulia District, suspecting him to be a Police
informer.
|
|
March 27
|
The Security Forces (SFs) conducted
another operation looking for bodies of Maoists suspected to have
been killed during the encounter on March 25. "Acting on a tip-off,
our forces is advancing towards the Chhotokalshibhanga forest
when a landmine blast was triggered by the Maoists and forces
were also fired upon. They retaliated leading to a brief gunfight
before the rebels retreated," Manoj Kumar Verma, West Midnapore
Superintendent of Police (SP), said. He added that a bullet-riddled
body of a man was discovered inside an abandoned well in the vicinity
immediately after the firing subsided.
SFs recovered two dead bodies
at Chhotokalshibhanga village and it is suspected that the bodies
belonged to Maoists who were killed during the seven-hour-long
exchange of fire between the SFs and the insurgents on March 25.
|
|
March 30
|
Binod Mahato, a supporter of the
ruling CPI-M was abducted from his house at Kalshibhanga village
in the Lalgarh region of West Midnapore District and later on
shot dead by the cadres of the CPI-Maoist.
Police arrested Kinkar Singh,
a leader of the PCPA.
|
|
April 1
|
MHA sources said that Security
Forces (SFs) have regained control over large tract of lands,
which were under occupation of LWEs in Lalgarh of West Midnapore
District and they are intensifying operations to flush out the
LWEs from the remaining areas. Civil administration has started
development activities as per the Government's anti-Naxal strategy.
|
|
April 2
|
West Bengal DGP Bhupinder Singh
said that the Police have arrested a quack who reportedly treated
injured CPI-Maoist politbureau member Koteswar Rao alias
Kishan.
|
|
April 2
|
CPI-Maoist politburo member Koteswar
Rao alias Kishan confirmed that Abhisek Mukherjee alias
Bikram, a former International Relations student of Jadavpur University,
was killed in the gun battle with Security Forces in the Hatilot
forests of West Midnapore on March 25 and squad leader Bikash
had sustained "minor injuries". However, the senior Bikram, a
CPI-Maoist central committee member, is alive.
|
|
April 3
|
A day before Union Home Minister
P. Chidambaram's proposed visit to Lalgarh in West Bengal's West
Midnapore District to review the progress of the anti-Maoist operation,
suspected CPI-Maoist cadres triggered a landmine explosion, targeting
security personnel at Bamal village. Police said no one was injured
in the blast.
|
|
April 4
|
Partha Biswas (26), Secretary
of Students' Federation of India (SFI), Belpahari Zonal Committee,
was shot dead by six suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist at Malabati
village nearby Binpur in West Midnapore District. SFI is student
wing of the ruling CPI-M.
|
|
April 7
|
Security Forces seized the largest
ever cache of arms, ammunition and explosives, since they began
operations on June 18 in West Bengal, at Jharnadiha village in
Binpur area in West Midnapore District and arrested a top local
Maoist leader.
Jawaharlal Mahato, a quack, was
arrested by Police for treating injured Maoist leader Koteswar
Rao alias Kishan. He was detained by Police three days
go in Lalgarh in West Midnapore District.
|
|
April 10
|
Suspected CPI-Maoist cadres killed
two supporters of the ruling CPI-M in West Midnapore District.
|
|
April 14
|
The dead bodies of two persons,
suspected to have been killed by CPI-Maoist cadres in Lalgarh
area in West Midnapore District late on April 12, were found.
Both victims, Ranjit Mal and Goutam Mal, residents of Dhula village
and CPI-M supporters, "fled from the area last year [2009] when
Maoist violence reached its peak. They returned home only a few
days ago", West Midnapore Superintendent of Police Manoj Kumar
Verma informed.
Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist
abducted and killed Tapan Das, Domohini village branch-committee
secretary of the ruling CPI-M at Dharampur near Lalgarh in West
Midnapore District. His bullet riddled dead body was found in
neighbouring Baghjhnaapi village on April 15.
|
|
April 15
|
Manasha Ram, a CPI-Maoist cadre,
was killed by unidentified persons in a village at Bandwan block
in Purulia District. His bullet-ridden body was recovered from
Dulukdi village.
The Union Government has decided
to deploy 12 additional companies of CRPF in the three Districts
of West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura.
|
|
April 17
|
At the end of a long-drawn encounter
between Security Forces (SFs) and suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist
in Bhalukbasha forest in West Midnapore District, the body of
a Maoist was recovered.
Decoded information from captured
laptop of Maoist politburo member Koteshwar Rao alias Kishan
has revealed that the Maoists operating in the Bengal-Jharkhand-Orissa
region have been allocated INR 12.20 crore for the year 2010,
of which 75 per cent is meant for expanding roots in West Bengal.
|
|
April 18
|
10 cadres of the CPI-Maoist were
arrested and a large cache of arms and ammunition were seized
from Lalgarh and adjoining areas of West Midnapore District, informed
Police.
|
|
April 19
|
The CPI-Maoist politburo member
Koteshwar Rao alias Kishan’s brother Venugopal Rao alias
Bhupati, will be the new Maoist in-charge of Lalgarh in West Midnapore
District.
Police raided the residence of
a doctor, Samir Biswas, in Asansol's Bajghoria area, for allegedly
treating Maoists. As Biswas was not in the residence, two caretakers
of the house — Susanta Das and Rajesh Marandi, were detained.
Police found a large number of Maoists posters and leaflets from
his residence.
|
|
April 21
|
Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist
killed Sailen Mahato, a local leader of the ruling CPI-M, in the
Lalgarh region of West Midnapore District, suspecting him to be
a Police informer. Mahato was abducted from his house at Purnapani
village.
Maoist-backed PCPA called an indefinite
bandh (general shutdown) in West Midnapore, Bankura and
Purulia Districts to protest the alleged ‘illegal’ arrest of some
tribals. Ten persons were arrested during raids in Brindabanpur
and Sirshi villages in Jhargram sub-division and Bhalukbasa in
West Midnapore District in the past three days.
|
|
April 23
|
Ashok Sinha, a timber merchant
and a worker of the ruling CPI-M from Baro Negui village in Nayagram
in West Midnapore District, was shot dead by the CPI-Maoist cadres.
|
|
April 25
|
Two supporters of the ruling CPI-M
were killed in separate incidents in the Maoist-affected Jangalmahal
area in West Midnapore and Bankura Districts.
|
|
April 26
|
A supporter of the ruling CPI-M
was killed and another seriously injured by CPI-Maoist cadres
at Bammal village in Lalgarh area of West Midnapore District.
The ruling CPI-M in West Bengal
has organised a Salwa Judum-type anti-Maoist civilian force. A
CPI-M supported private militia has already started operating
in Bankura District without a formal name.
|
|
April 27
|
The CPI-Maoist cadres blew up
a railway track at Puturia between Midnapore and Bhadutala stations
near Midnapore town in West Midnapore District during their general
shutdown.
Maoists reportedly entered into
an arms-exchange agreement with an underground extremist organisation
in Assam, the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB).
|
|
April 28
|
Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist
killed Nihar Mahato (35), an active member of the ruling CPI-M,
at Kamariya village in Lalgarh region of West Midnapore District.
|
|
April 29
|
Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist
killed three villagers, including two activists of the Maoist-backed
PCPA, in separate attacks at Lalgarh and Salboni in West Midnapore
District. Another unidentified body was found in Salboni with
its throat slit.
West Midnapore Superintendent
of Police Manoj Verma said five PCPA activists have been murdered
since April 19. "It appears that the Maoists have fallen out with
the People’s Committee. During our investigations, we have found
that Maoists have not got the money they have been demanding from
the People’s Committee. The murders could be a result of this,"
Verma said.
The CPI-Maoist cadres triggered
an IED explosion at an abandoned office of the ruling CPI-M at
Bhimpur near Lalgarh in West Midnapore District. The explosion
occurred within one-kilometre radius of a CRPF camp.
|
|
April 30
|
An inquiry committee probing the
CPI-Maoist attack on EFR camp at Silda in West Midnapore District,
which left 24 EFR troopers dead, submitted its report to the West
Bengal Government.
|
|
May 1
|
Dayal Mahato, bandhgora
branch committee member of the ruling CPI-M, was abducted from
Jamberia village and subsequently shot dead by suspected cadres
of the CPI-Maoist in Jangalmahal region of West Midnapore District.
Security Forces recovered a skeleton
and five landmines from Bhalukbasa forest in West Midnapore District.
The body is suspected to be of a Maoist operative.
|
|
May 4
|
Three persons were shot dead by
suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist in separate incidents at Lalgarh
in West Midnapore District. The victims were Bikash Mahato, a
local Congress party leader, Shankar Pal, a supporter of the ruling
CPI-M, and Haripada Mahato, a Jharkhand Party worker.
|
|
May 6
|
West Bengal DGP Bhupinder Singh
said the State will have a 1,000-strong counter- insurgency force
on the pattern of the Grey Hound forces of Andhra Pradesh and
also a training school for tackling terrorism within the next
two to three months. The force, comprising young officers with
two to four years' service, will be ready to take positions by
August, said the Police Chief. The training centre will be located
at Salua in and the training grounds would be the forested areas
in Salboni in West Midnapore District. The project is expected
to cost around INR 270,000,000.
|
|
May 7
|
DGP Bhupinder Singh said West
Bengal Government is planning to train women Police personnel
for posting in Maoist-affected areas. He said they would receive
the same training as the counter-insurgency force to be raised
in two to three months for tackling the Maoists in the West Midnapore,
Purulia and Bankura Districts.
|
|
May 8
|
Sudhanshu Maiti (53), Lodhasoli
local committee member of the ruling CPI-M, was killed by the
CPI-Maoist cadres at Nahoria village in Jhargram area of West
Midnapore District.
West Bengal Chief Secretary Ardhendu
Sen, during his trip to Midnapore town, said that additional Central
forces for Maoist-affected areas were expected this month.
|
|
May 9
|
Maoist squad member Sushil Hembram,
who was arrested from Bankura on May 7, was produced in Khatra
sub-divisional court and given seven days in Police custody.
|
|
May 12
|
The CPI-Maoist-backed PCPA called
for yet another bandh (shutdown) in the Districts of West
Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia to protest against alleged atrocities
inflicted on villagers by the ruling CPI-M supporters.
Maoists are recruiting and training
teenagers to carry out guerrilla attacks, make landmines and handle
firearms, including AK-47 assault rifles in West Midnapore, Bankura
and Purulia Districts.
A landmine exploded at Bhat More
area under Salbani Police station in West Midnapore District and
damaged a culvert on the road connecting Midnapore town to Lalgarh
during the bandh (shutdown) called by CPI-Maoist-backed
PCPA. Security Forces recovered similar explosives at Kalaboni
forest in West Midnapore District.
Suspected CPI-Maoist cadres shot
at and seriously injured Alok Mahali (50), a local committee member
of the ruling CPI-M, at Gidhni in West Midnapore District.
Meanwhile, Director General of
West Bengal Police Bhupinder Singh said, "We have learnt that
the February 15 attack was planned and coordinated by Bikash,
an associate of Kishenji [CPI-Maoist politbureau member]." The
attack at Silda in West Midnapore District had killed 24 troopers
of the Eastern Frontier Rifles.
|
|
May 13
|
One supporter of the ruling CPI-M,
identified as Srikanta Mahato, was killed by suspected CPI-Maoist
cadres at Pathardihi village near Arsha in Purulia District.
|
|
May 14
|
Four supporters of the CPI-M were
killed by suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist during their bandh
(shutdown). Bullet riddled dead bodies of Ashok Ahir, Swapan Ahir,
Sanatan Ahir and Nazrul Mir were found on Silda-Bankura State
highway at Belpahari near Anthela village in West Midnapore District.
|
|
May 15
|
Maoists called for a 48-hour bandh
(shutdown) in five States of Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Orissa
and Chhattisgarh.
|
|
May 16
|
Paltu Bag, a supporter of the
ruling CPI-M, was killed by the CPI-Maoist cadres at Nayagram
in West Midnapore.
|
|
May 17
|
The dead body of Rakhahari Sar,
supporter of the ruling CPI-M was recovered by the Police from
a forest at Goaltore in West Midnapore District. He went missing
from his house at Bhandarpur village three days ago [on May 15].
|
|
May 18
|
Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist
triggered a landmine blast on a railway track at Khatkhura halt
station near Jhargram in West Midnapore District, injuring two
drivers of a goods train and leaving the engine of the freight
train damaged.
|
|
May 19
|
Four troopers of the CRPF and
a deputy commandant were killed while another trooper was critically
injured when the CPI-Maoist cadres triggered a landmine explosion
targeting the car they were travelling in near Lalgarh in West
Midnapore District.
|
|
May 20
|
Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist
killed Gurucharan Mahato (65), a retired primary school teacher
and a worker of the ruling CPI-M at Kaliam village in West Midnapore
District. He was abducted on May 19.
State Home Secretary Samar Ghosh
said, "Police deployment in the Jangalmahal area will remain untouched."
|
|
May 21
|
Three dead bodies of the ruling
CPI-M activists, suspected to have been killed by cadres of the
CPI-Maoist, were found from Sarenga area in Bankura District.
According to a joint report by
the Intelligence Bureau and West Bengal intelligence, CPI-Maoist
has set up an eight-member special coordination committee to improve
coordination between different units in Maoist affected States.
Lalgarh in West Midnapore District would house the headquarters
of this Maoist committee.
|
|
May 22
|
The cadres of CPI-Maoist fired
at the Steel Express, which runs between Howrah and Jamshedpur
(Jharkhand), while it was passing through Banstala station near
Jhargram in West Medinapur District. One passenger who was standing
near the train's door reportedly suffered a bullet injury. There
were also reports of Security Personnel getting injured.
|
|
May 23
|
Two unidentified dead bodies were
found in a village near Jhargram in West Midnapore District with
bullet injuries to their heads and throats. They are suspected
of being killed by the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist)
cadres as the Police found Maoist posters near the dead bodies
that accused the duo of being hired goons of the ruling CPI-M.
|
|
May 25
|
Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist
killed Debashis Banerjee, a newspaper agent and social worker,
in the Manikpara market near Jhargram town in West Midnapore District.
His cousin Prasanta got injured after being shot at when he came
to the rescue of Debashis.
Bharat Singh's bullet-riddled
dead body was found at Banshpahari in West Midnapore District.
He was abducted on May 24.
Biswanath Mahato, a supporter
of the ruling CPI-M, in Salboni area of West Midnapore District
was injured when he was shot at by a group of about 40 masked
persons.
|
|
May 26
|
Suspected Left Wing Extremists
killed two CPI-M workers identified as Kamal Ahir and Sujit Mal,
in two separate incidents in the Goaltore region of West Midnapore
District.
Santosh Mal, a teenager, died
on the spot when the CPI-Maoist cadres opened fire indiscriminately
into a village near Pingboni in West Midnapore District.
|
|
May 27
|
Two local leaders of the ruling
CPI-M were killed by the Maoists in Lalgarh region of West Midnapore
District. Dipak Mondal was killed in the middle of the Bhulaveda
market near Belpahari. Shatrughna Ghosh was abducted from Gopiballavpur
near Nayagram on May 26 and his dead body was found near Patina
on May 27.
|
|
May 28
|
At least 65 passengers were killed
after suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist triggered a blast on
railway track causing derailment of 13 coaches of the Howrah-Kurla
(Kolkata to Mumbai) Lokmanya Tilak Gyaneshwari Super Deluxe Express
between Khemasoli and Sardiya stations near Jhargram in West Midnapore
District. About 150 others injured.
The Maoist-backed People's Committee
against Police Atrocities (PCPA) has claimed responsibility for
the derailment through the posters left at the site.
Union Minister for Home Affairs
P. Chidambaram suspected sabotage.
Gelatine sticks and TNT explosives
were found on the tracks near the accident site.
An Improvised IED weighing 10
kilograms was recovered from a place near Lalgarh West Midnapore
District.
|
|
May 29
|
The death toll increased to 141
in the May 28 Howrah-Mumbai Gyaneshwari Express derailment after
landmine blast allegedly triggered by the CPI-Maoist cadres between
Khemashuli and Sardiha stations near Jhargram in West Midnapore
District.
The FIR filed by the driver of
the express, B.K. Das, made no mention of CPI-Maoist cadres as
being behind the incident.
Director-General of Police Bhupinder
Singh said the Maoists and some cadres of the Maoist-backed PCPA
were behind the incident and some of them were arrested. He said
investigations by the Crime Investigation Department's (CID) forensic
team did not find any sign of an explosion on the track. The PCPA,
however, denied any in behind the incident.
|
|
May 30
|
The death toll in May 28 attack
on the Kolkata to Mumbai Gnaneswari Express carried out by the
CPI-Maoist in West Midnapore District increased to 148.
|
|
May 30
|
The CID claimed of having "definite
evidence" that the CPI-Maoist were involved in derailing of the
Gyaneshwari Express in West Midnapore District from intercepts
of conversations of several Maoist leaders' mobiles.
|
|
May 31
|
Amulya Mandal (30), an activist
of the ruling CPI-M died in a private hospital at Jamshedpur in
East Singhbhum District of Jharkhand. He was injured after suspected
cadres of the CPI-Maoist shot at him at Kherua village in Purulia
District on West Bengal-Jharkhand border on May 30.
|
|
June 2
|
The State CID detained 13 persons
in connection with the Jnaneswari Express derailment incident
in West Midnapore District.
Four suspected Left Wing Extremists
(LWEs) were arrested from Guimera village under Jhargram Police
Station in West Midnapore District in connection with the Jnaneshwari
Express derailment. They were identified as Lalto Mahto, Dilip
Mahto, Ashit Mahto and Kamlesh Mahto.
The Union Government decided to
hand the Jnaneshwari Express derailment case probe to the CBI.
However, the State Government opposed it, saying the CID probe
was progressing well and there was no need for a parallel probe.
|
|
June 3
|
The CPI-Maoist backed PCPA called
a sudden 12-hour-bandh (shutdown) in the Jhargram block
of West Midnapore District in protest against the alleged random
detention of villagers by the Police in connection with the derailment
of the Jnaneswari Express on May 28.
|
|
June 4
|
Khagen Mahato, a resident of Chanapara
village near Manikpara, was arrested by the CID from Kharagpur
in West Midnapore District. He is the owner of a pickup van allegedly
used to ferry men who sabotaged the railway tracks leading to
the May 28 Jnaneswari Express derailment in which 148 persons
were killed. Khagen is a member of the CPI-Maoist backed PCPA.
Khagen told interrogators that the plan to sabotage the tracks
was drawn up by a PCPA supporter Bapi Mahato and an anti-social
Manik Mahato at Muramoni in the night of May 27.
The Maoists have cracked the communication
codes of the Security Forces with the help of Chinese walkie-talkies.
|
|
June 5
|
Nirmal Singh, a supporter of the
ruling CPI-M, was killed by cadres of the CPI-Maoist at Raipur
in Bankura District.
|
|
June 6
|
Suspected Maoists killed Asit
Raut, a meat shop owner at Chandra in West Midnapore District
whose outlet was frequented by the personnel of joint Security
Forces engaged in anti-Maoist operations.
|
|
June 6
|
PCPA members ransacked a few houses
near Jhargram town in West Midnapore District and fired shots
in the air.
|
|
June 8
|
The CID arrested the CPI-Maoist
backed PCPA leader Sameer Mahato in connection with May 28 Jnaneswari
Express attack in West Midnapore District.
The leadership of the PCPA announced
plans to observe "day of mourning" on June 7 and June 8 in remembrance
of those killed in the Jnaneswari Express tragedy on May 28
Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist
killed two persons in West Midnapore District. The bullet riddled
dead bodies of the two unidentified persons were found on a road
crossing near Ghangh forest in Jamboni area of Jhargram sub-division.
|
|
June 10
|
The CPI-Maoist leader of the West
Bengal unit Akash said in statement that South Eastern Railway
(SER) authorities should directly contact the Maoists to ensure
the smooth running of trains in Maoist-affected areas.
|
|
June 11
|
After formally taking over the
investigation in the May 28 Jnaneswari Express derailment case
from the West Bengal's CID, the CBI obtained the custody of two
persons arrested in connection with the case, and other documents,
at a Jhargram court in West Midnapore District. Custody of Khagen
Mahato and Samir Mahato was transferred to the CBI.
|
|
June 12
|
The dead body of Mantu Mahato,
a member of the CPI-Maoist backed PCPA, missing for some days,
was found shot dead in Bundwan area of Purulia District.
|
|
June 14
|
Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist
killed two persons in different incidents. An unidentified man
was shot dead at Nayagram in West Midnapore District. Dead body
of another victim, Sunil Karmakar, was found by the Police at
Bhursadanga near Barikul Police station in Bankura District. Karmakar
was a supporter of the ruling CPI-M and a resident of Belpahari
in West Midnapore District. He was allegedly abducted by the Maoists
a few days ago.
CBI arrested an activist of the
PCPA, Hiralal Mahato, from a village in Jhargram in connection
with the Gyaneswari Express derailment. Mahato was produced in
the additional chief judicial magistrate's court on June 15. Mahato
is a resident of Rasua village near Sardiha, the site of the train
derailment. The Police had on June 4 seized a pickup van, claimed
to have been used to ferry men who sabotaged the railway tracks
leading to the derailment. The husband of the vehicle owner was
arrested and remanded in police custody for 10 days.
|
|
June 15
|
Suspected Maoists killed two brothers
in West Midnapore District, Police said. The bodies of Sambhu
Singh and Sunil Singh were recovered from Chakadoma in Belpahari
area. The Singh brothers were supporters of the Jharkhand Party
(Aditya) but they later joined the PCPA, which is considered the
frontal organisation of the Maoists. "The killings were a result
of the internal rivalry within the PCPA," an unnamed senior Police
officer said.
13 people, including two Kolkata-based
professors, were arrested for their alleged links with Maoists
in West Midnapore District, Police said. Two city-based professors
- Nisha Biswas and Kanishka Chowdhury, a teacher identified as
Modhusudan and an editor of a local magazine Manik Mondal - were
arrested along with other villagers from Kantapahari area under
Lalgarh Police Station, said Manoj Verma.
The West Bengal Government announced
a financial package for Maoists who surrender, on the lines of
Central Government guidelines. Maoists who surrender will get
a one-off payment of INR 150,000, vocational training for three
months, INR 2,000 monthly, and extra amount if they surrender
their arms. "For an AK-47 rifle they will get INR 15,000, and
for a machine gun INR 25,000. If it's a pistol or revolver, it
will be INR 3,000," State Home Secretary Samar Ghosh said. While
heinous crimes like murder against a surrendered Naxal will continue,
in case of smaller crimes, the State Government can think of a
respite.
As part of Government's plan to
push development projects in Moist-hit areas, a senior Planning
Commission official on June 10 held meetings with the District
officers of West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia District to discuss
growth-related plans in the areas.
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June 16
|
At least 10 CPI-Maoist cadres
were killed and several others injured in an encounter between
the Maoist and joint forces in the West Midnapore District. The
exchange of fire at Ranja forest near Lalgarh, around 30 kilometres
from District headquarter Midnapore town. The Security Forces
also seized a cache of arms that include an AK 47 assault rifle,
an SLR, some pistols and ammunition. Police believe the arms and
ammunition were among those looted from Police armoury in the
past.
Police had information that a
large number of Maoists had gathered in the Ranja forest. They
received more specific information about their movement after
interrogating 13 persons from a nearby village on June 15. Apart
from 10 members of the PCPA, a Maoist front organisation, three
persons from Kolkata - a scientist, a college teacher and a writer
- were also arrested. All of them have been labelled as Maoist
sympathisers.
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|
June 17
|
The Central Bureau of Investigation
(CBI) named three cadres of the CPI-Maoist-backed PCPA as key
accused in the May 28 Gyaneshwari Express derailment case. The
CBI named Bapi Mahato, Umakanta Mahato and Asit Mahato - all members
of the PCPA. It also declared a cash reward of INR one lakh for
providing information on the whereabouts of the three main accused.
The CPI-Maoist released a communiqué
which read, "The party leadership is so far not aware of the involvement
of its cadres in the Gyaneshwari accident. If it is found that
anyone close to our party is guilty of the sabotage, we shall
take stringent action and admit the lapses on our part. We shall
investigate the incident and come out with the facts soon. We
assure the people of our country there will be no attacks on trains
in future."
Security Forces in West Bengal
say they are on "high alert" as Maoists began a four-day protest
against a security force operation in West Midnapore District
in which 12 Maoists were killed. DGP Bhupinder Singh told BBC
that Police and paramilitary forces in the affected areas have
been put on "red alert". "We anticipate retaliatory attacks and
explosions by the rebels over the weekend," he said. Earlier,
the Maoist leader Khokan had said that the Maoists would observe
a two-day protest over the weekend [June 19-20]. Later, he said
the protest would continue until Monday [June 21] in the Junglemahal
area. A local militia has also called for a separate strike in
the area on June 18 in protest against "police atrocities on innocent
villagers".
Superintendent of Police (West
Midnapore) Manoj Verma said hat Maoist leader Kishan is currently
been hiding somewhere in a forest in West Midnapore District.
"Kishenji is hiding in the forests of Midnapore District. All
steps have been taken in order to prevent him from escaping,"
Verma said. Kishan is a politburo member of CPI-Maoist and in
charge of the region comprising West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand
and Orissa.
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|
June 18
|
Normal life was disrupted in tribal
areas of West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia Districts due to
the two-day [June 18-19] bandh (general shut down) called
by the CPI-Maoist-backed PCPA on the first anniversary of the
launch of joint forces' operation against Maoists in the area.
West Bengal Chief Secretary Ardhendu
Sen told reporters about 400 to 500 persons in the Maoist zone,
comprising Districts of West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia, had
been arrested in the last one year.
Police received indications that
many Maoists in the Maoists-affected areas in West Bengal are
willing to surrender and return to the mainstream of life. The
DGP told The Hindu, "We have received feelers that a number of
people are willing to surrender. However, I can give you neither
any numbers nor other details at this juncture." In addition to
a grant of INR 150,000, the surrendered Naxal would get a stipend
of INR 2,000 for three years during which he might be imparted
training in a trade or vocation. There would be a separate package
for laying down arms, ranging from INR 25,000 for a sniper rifle
to INR 1,000 for every kilogram of explosive, he added.
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|
June 19
|
Suspected CPI-Maoist cadres killed
two people in Jhargram area of West Midnapore District after accusing
them of being "police informers". The Maoists abducted the two
men late in the night of June 18. Maoist posters, found near the
bodies, claimed both of them were Police informers, Police said.
The PCPA began observing two-day
'black day' and 'protest day' from demanding withdrawal of the
joint forces and to protest the alleged Police excesses.
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|
June 20
|
Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist
shot dead Sachchidananda Karmakar, a local leader of the ruling
CPI-M, at Ranibandh in Bankura District.
Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist
set a State transport bus on fire after forcing its passengers
to get down even as Security Forces unearthed explosives from
another area in Jangalmahal region of Bankura District.
Bapi Mahato, the main accused
in Jnaneswari Express derailment incident told interrogators that
the PCPA militia had abducted a railway contractor and four of
his workers to remove the pandrol clips from a stretch of tracks
in Jhargram, which led to the derailment of the train.
Refuting charges that lack of
development led to increase in naxal (Left-Wing Extremism) activities
in the tribal belt of Jungle Mahal in West Bengal, Chief Minister
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said the Left Wing Extremists have chosen
the difficult terrain to have a "strategic advantage". "A section
of people has attributed lack of development as the main reason
for rise of Maoist problems in Jungle Mahal. But this is not correct.
Rather they have identified the area since it is a difficult terrain
from where they can operate safely as they have done in Andhra
Pradesh, Orissa and Jharkhand," Bhattacharjee said.
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|
June 21
|
Several trains running on Kharagpur-Rourkela
and Kharagpur-Adra section continued to be diverted, re-scheduled
or regulated as Indian Railways decided to persist on its decision
to suspend of night-time movement of passenger and goods trains
in Maoist-affected areas. In view of security reasons, running
of the passenger trains on Kharagpur-Rourkela and Kharagpur-Adra
section would continue to remain suspended up to June 26 during
the night hours from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., said an East Coast Railway
statement.
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|
June 22
|
One of the main accused in the
Jnaneswari Express derailment case, Maoist-backed PCPA member
Bapi Mahato, was produced in court at Jhargram in West Midnapore
District of West Bengal and remanded to custody with the Central
Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for 10 days.
Bapi Mahato has reportedly admitted
that the sabotage was planned and executed meticulously to inflict
maximum casualties with the objective to send a shockwave.
The CPI-Maoist issued a statement
disowning Bapi Mahato. The statement, purportedly from Maoist
potitburo member Kishan claimed that Bapi was never a part of
their organization and denied the hand of Maoists in the Jnaneswari
sabotage. The team interrogating Bapi, however, said that he had
divulged important leads in the case. "Till now, most of his statements
corroborate with the our reconstruction of the crime and the inferences
drawn from the phone conversations we intercepted before and after
the accident," said an investigator.
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|
June 23
|
Cadres of the CPI-Maoist burnt
Kamala Hembram (71) along with her daughter Saraswati Hembram
(51) alive in her hut at Bagdubi village in Barikul area of Bankura
District in the night. Police suspect the Maoists had targeted
Kamala's three sons, who are known supporters of the ruling CPI-M.
Her elder son Kalipada, a member of the Ranibandh zonal
committee of the CPI-M, was killed in December 2008. Ever since,
the other two brothers - Gobin and Nabin - have been living in
Khatra along with their mother and sister. Kamala and Saraswati
had returned to their hut to supervise the farming of their land
in the morning of June 23.
Amiya Mahato, a close associate
of key accused Bapi Mahto in the May 28 derailment of the Jnaneswari
Express was arrested from from Koimasoli village in West Midnapore
District in the night. His role in the derailment case was yet
to be ascertained. Amiya is the seventh person to be arrested
in the case.
One more person identified as
Mantu Mahato was arrested from outskirts of Kharagpur in West
Midnapore District in the Jnaneswari Express sabotage case. According
to CBI sources, Mantu hails from Guinmara village near Manikpara
in the District and had kept in touch with Bapi regularly.
In a matter unrelated to the Jnaneswari
sabotage, police in West Midnapore claimed to have arrested a
CPI-Maoist squad member, Mangal Garai, from Belpahari.
Mritunjay Bhaskar, an arms supplier
from Munger, has also been intercepted at Pirakata near Lalgarh.
Bhaskar had reportedly arrived in Lalgarh to supply arms and ammunition
to Maoists.
Police have also arrested four
members of Maoist-backed PCPA who were allegedly trying to send
medicines to Maoists hiding at Ranjha forest.
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|
June 24
|
A primary school teacher, Ranjit
Dey, was abducted from his house and shot dead by suspected cadres
of the CPI-Maoist in West Midnapore District. His body was recovered
from Goaltore area of the District. Dey was formerly a member
of the ruling CPI-M.
Maoists abducted Srimanta Tudu,
the son of a former CPI-M supporter, from near his house at Mohanpur
in the Binpur region in West Midnapore and demanded the release
of Durga Mandi, a Maoist squad member, for setting the boy free.
Another person identified as Abid
Ali, a resident of Manikpara in Jhargram subdivision, was arrested
by Police from Kaliakunda in the night in connection with the
Jnaneswari Express derailment case. Ali's link with Maoists was
being ascertained.
The CBI told a Jhargram court
that Hiralal Mahato, one of the arrested persons in the Jnaneswari
Express derailment case was a juvenile on the day of the crime
- three days short of becoming an adult.
On May 29, a day after derailment
of Jnaneswari Express that killed 148 people, prime accused pro-Maoist
PCPA member Bapi Mahato organised a party in a village in Manikpara
in West Bengal to celebrate the "successful operation". Telegraph
adds that Bapi Mahato, has confessed to his involvement in 12
murders apart from his role in the train tragedy, Police claimed.
The State Government has submitted
an INR 2.66 billion plan for the development of West Midnapore
District to the Planning Commission, reports Indian Express. West
Midnapore is one of the 34 Districts in the country the Planning
Commission identified as most ravaged by the Maoist menace.
The Maoists have confiscated the
cellphones of dozens of people living near the Jnaneswari Express
sabotage site, alarmed by the seven arrests made in the case,
villagers and Police said. They said the Maoists suspected that
the tip-offs for the arrests had come from the villagers, a claim
virtually admitted by a leader of the Maoist-backed PCPA.
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|
June 25
|
The night running of passenger
trains on Maoist-hit Kharagpur-Rourkela and Kharagpur-Adra routes
in West Midnapore will remain suspended till June 30 because of
security reasons, South Eastern Railway officials said.
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|
June 26
|
The Police arrested Binod Mishra,
a constable posted at Howrah Police lines, from a lodge in Burdwan
town in the night for links with the Maoists. When he was caught
in, he had a large quantity of explosives hidden in milk cans.
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|
June 27
|
A trooper of the Armed Police,
Mohammed Ishad, and three cadres of the CPI-Maoist were killed
in a gun battle between Security Forces (SFs) and Maoists in Ghritakham
village of West Midnapore District. The encounter began as the
SFs raided the village on receiving a tip-off about the presence
of Maoists. The SFs recovered only one body of the slain Maoists.
However, Superintendent of Police Manoj Verma said, "The forces
saw the bodies of two others being taken away by them." The Police
recovered arms and ammunition from the Maoists.
Surjya Kanta Banerjee (45) a Forward
Bloc party leader from Purulia District's Baghmundi was killed,
allegedly by Maoists, while he was sitting at the party office
around 9 pm. Before fleeing on their bikes, the attackers shouted
pro-Maoist slogans, locals told Police.
The Police arrested Hajari Hembram,
a Maoist squad member, from Urmahat in Purulia, close to the Jharkhand.
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June 28
|
A member of the Sidhu Kanu Gana
Militia, the militant wing of the Maoist-backed PCPA, identified
as Kiriti Duley (40) was found killed in the Sarenga area of Bankura
District. ‘Maoists are the suspects,' Bankura Superintendent Police
Vishal Garg said. Duley was a former activist of the ruling CPI-M.
The body of a CPI-M activist Santosh
Giri (46) was recovered from a village under Lalgarh Police station
of West Midnapore District. Giri was a resident of Amulia village.
'Maoists are the prime suspects,' said a senior Police officer.
Three persons, identified as Buddhaeshwar
Mirdha, Tarini Ahir and Sita Ram Murmu, were arrested from Ghrita
village during an operation in the Jitushole forest area under
Jhargram sub-division of the West Midnapore District for suspected
links with Maoists.
Over 5,000 rounds of .315 cartridges,
possibly meant for the Maoists, were found in a car after it was
intercepted by Police for violating traffic rules near Shovabazar
Metro Railway station in Kolkata. However, the occupants of the
car managed to flee.
Bapi Mahato, the prime suspect
in the Jnaneswari Express sabotage case, agreed to record his
confession before the magistrate. CBI officers feel this presents
a major breakthrough, as Bapi's confession will be the most important
piece of evidence in the case.
The West Bengal Government has
decided to raise its own industrial security force to be headed
by a commandant, for better protection of industrial units in
view of the Maoist threat. He said that security had been heightened
in view of spurt in Maoist activities at Santaldih thermal power
plant and the 900-MW Purulia Pump Storage power projects which
fall in the Maoist zone.
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|
June 29
|
A 10th class student, Phulchand
Mahato was killed by cadres of the Maoists at Jamirdiha village
in West Midnapore District, suspecting him to be a Police informer.
Police said the bullet-riddled body of Phulchand was found on
the side of Kasmar canal.
The Criminal Investigation Department
(CID) of the West Bengal Police arrested five CPI-Maoist cadres
from Kolkata’s southern suburban region. Among those arrested,
Madhusudan Mondal alias Narayan alias Madhu alias
Salim is a member of the Maoist's State Committee as well as the
secretary of the outfit's zonal committee at Nandigram in the
East Midnapore District.
The Special Task Force (STF) of
the Kolkata Police arrested four persons in connection with the
seizure of 5000 rounds of ammunition from a vehicle on June 28.
Police sources suspect that the cartridges, manufactured at the
Indian Ordnance Factory at Khirka in Pune in March 2010, could
be meant for the Maoists. "The STF has arrested Mukesh Singh,
Rajesh Kumar Sharma, Ram Pravesh Prasad and Dilip Mishra in connection
with the incident," STF chief Rajiv Kumar said. The consignment
was to be delivered to Mishra by the other three.
Bapi Mahato, the alleged mastermind
of the Jnaneswari Express derailment case, gave his confessional
statement in front of a magistrate at the 12th metropolitan magistrate
court in Kolkata. "Bapi has recorded an 11-page secret statement
before the magistrate," said Partha Tapaswi, deputy legal adviser,
CBI.
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June 30
|
A trooper of the joint forces
was injured when the CPI-Maoist cadres fired at a patrol party
which was on a routine combing operation in the Birihari forest
area of West Midnapore District during their 48-hour bandh
(shutdown) call.
Life was affected by the 48-hour
bandh (shutdown) called by the Maoists in the Bankura,
Purulia and West Midnapore Districts. Though trains were plying,
surface transport came to a grinding halt in the area. Security
has been tightened at all Central Reserve Police Force camps and
posts in the Bankura, Purulia and West Midnapore Districts.
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June 30
|
Five CPI-Maoist cadres who were
arrested by the West Bengal Criminal Investigation Department
(CID) on June 29 were remanded to Police custody till July 11
by a Kolkata court.
The CID lodged an FIR against
two women, both former Jadavpur University students, for their
alleged links with the Maoists. Debolina Chakraborty and Joyita
Sarkar have been booked under the UAPA. The names of Debolina
and Joyita cropped up while the CID was interrogating the five
Maoist leaders who were arrested from the southern fringes of
the Kolkata city on June 29.
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|
July 1
|
49 Security Force personnel -
29 Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) personnel and 20 Police personnel
- were killed by Maoists in West Bengal between January 1, 2008
and February 15, 2010, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee
informed the State Assembly.
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|
July 4
|
Two bullet riddled bodies found
at Padasai village near Tarafeni river in West Midnapore District
were identified as those of Bhimpada Murmu and Sailen Mandi. Both
of them were members of Sashadhar Mahato militia group.
Cadres of the CPI-Maoist shot
dead Ganesh Murmu (31), a local leader of the ruling CPI-M near
Jhargram in West Midnapore District.
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July 6
|
Two security guards, identified
as Saidul Sheikh (38) and Mohar Sheikh (45), were killed in a
jute field in the Naoda Police station of Murshidabad District
of by suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist. Both were residents
of Dudhsar village in the Naoda Police station area. "Witnesses
told us that the duo was dragged inside of the jute fields by
a group of seven-eight armed Maoist cadres at around 8.30 am.
Their faces were covered. They started firing to keep the villagers
at bay. After a couple of hours, some of the villagers went inside
the jute fields and spotted the bodies," said a Police official.
The CRPF arrested a CPI-Maoist
cadre, identified as, Santo Singh, from Salboni area of West Midnapore
District wanted for the attack on the Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Rajdhani
Express in March. An AK-47 rifle was seized from him. Singh is
also accused of killing six CRPF personnel in Lalgarh in April
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|
July 8
|
The 48-hour nationwide-bandh
called by the CPI-Maoist had a partial effect in the three Districts
of West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia in the southwest of West
Bengal that have been affected by extremist activity. While the
bandh had almost no impact in the urban centres, areas
lying on the forest fringes witnessed a complete shutdown on the
first day of the bandh.
Apprehending attacks on trains
and railway properties, the South Eastern Railway authorities
have suspended running of trains from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. during
the two days in the Kharagpur-Adra and Kharagpur-Rourkela sections
– two hours before services are suspended on other days. Several
passenger trains were also cancelled.
West Bengal is going to recruit
500 ex-Servicemen to bridge the gap in its Police force. Director-General
of Police Bhupinder Singh told reporters that they would be deputed
at various positions in the cadre. He said the State Government
has decided to recruit 7,000 Policemen over the next one year.
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|
July 8
|
Lankeswar Mahato (60), a local
leader of the ruling CPI-M, was killed by the cadres of the CPI-Maoist
in Laksmanpur village near Lalgarh in West Midnapore District
in the afternoon. He was dragged out of his home and shot from
close range. His body was dumped on the road connecting Lalgarh
and Midnapore town. The Maoists branded Mahato as Police informer.
A group of more than 50 Maoists
entered Pathuri village area and set ablaze many houses.
A report submitted by security
agencies to the State Government says that with Maoist Politburo
member Koteswar Rao alias Kishan no longer mobile, the
CPI -Maoist has set up new jurisdictional units with additional
responsibility to Jharkhand-based Dwijen Hembram. Hembram alias
Anantada is from Binpur in Jhargram. A regional and State Committee
member, Hembram is prime accused in the November 2008 Salboni
attack. The report indicates that frequent encounters with Security
Forces and tighter Police surveillance have forced Maoists to
shift their core operational base from the Lalgarh-Belpahari area
in West Midnapore to the Ayodhya hills of Purulia. This area is
currently not covered by the Security Forces.
The Ministry of Home affairs has
decided to shift the Central Zone headqarters of the CRPF from
Raipur to Kolkata, considered a much safer place. CRPF Special
DG Vijay Raman confirmed the news, saying that this was being
done because of "reasons of safety". The States of West Bengal,
Chhatishgarh, Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand and Maharashtra come under
the CRPF Central Zone.
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July 10
|
Two members of the Maoist-backed
PCPA, Sujit Mahato and Sujoy Mahato, who were arrested for having
direct link with the Maoists, were produced in the court of the
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate at Jhargram. They were residents
of Jarulia.
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|
July 11
|
The dead body of a person, suspected
to have been shot dead by the cadres of the CPI-Maoist, was recovered
from the highway near Pirakata in West Midnapore. The victim was
identified as Umakant Mahato who worked for the Forest Department
on a temporary basis. Posters claiming that he was a Police informer
were found near his body.
Four suspected Maoists were also
produced in a court in the Maoist-affected Bankura District. They
were arrested for attacking the home of a CPI-Marxist local leader,
Nabin Hemram and set it ablaze where Hemram's sister and mother
were killed.
Suspected CPI-Maoist cadres shot
dead two villagers, including a gram panchayat (village
level local self Government institution) pradhan (head) in West
Midnapore District. The bullet-riddled dead bodies of Soumen Bhakat
(33), the chief of Kenddangri gram panchayat, and Kamal
Mahato (56), were found four kilometres away from their home in
Jamboni’s Balidiha village. A villager said the Maoists had demanded
INR 500,000 from Soumen recently but the panchayat chief
had told the Maoists he could not pay more than INR 50,000.
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|
July 12
|
A local leader of the Jharkhand
Mukti Morcha (JMM), Srikanta Hansda, was shot dead by suspected
cadres of the CPI-Maoist at Bandwan in Purulia District. His body
was recovered from the Maa Kapali forest in the area the next
day.
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|
July 13
|
Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist
shot dead one person near Sankrail in West Midnapore District.
Though the Police are yet to establish the identity of the person,
locals identified him as Churamani Mahato, a resident of the Murakati
village.
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|
July 14
|
A group of 10 to 12 suspected
cadres of the CPI-Maoist abducted a woman, identified as Neelmani
Tudu, from her residence at Kundagari village in the Gopiballavpur
region of West Midnapore District and then killed, suspecting
her to be a Police informer. Her body was recovered from Dhanshole
— about six kilometers from her village next morning. She was
a local leader of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and former
panchayat (village level local self Government institution)
member.
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July 15
|
Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist
killed three persons, in separate incidents across the State.
The victims Nirmol Soren, zonal committee member of the ruling
CPI-M, was shot dead at Nemaipur village near Simlipal in Bankura
District while local businessman Kartik Chalak was hacked to death
at bandhgora near Jhargram in West Midnapore District.
Another CPI-M supporter Pijus Kanti Mahato was shot dead in Pukuria
village near Jhargram.
Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee
said in the State Assembly that Maoists in West Bengal were marking
their presence beyond West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia, the
three Districts currently identified as Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected
areas.
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July 16
|
Shayan Pal (50), a former worker
of the ruling CPI-M, was dragged out of his house in Niguria in
West Midnapore District and shot dead by the Maoists. Niguria
village is located only half a kilometre from the nearest CRPF
camp.
Bukai Murmu (22), a labourer of
Bhandardaha village, was also killed by suspected Maoists. His
body was recovered 2 kilometres away from his village. Bukai’s
head had been smashed and Maoist posters were found near the body.
Sitaram Murmu (35), a CPI-M activist,
was killed at bandhgora village.
A Maoist, identified as Bikram
Mahato (40) was killed and two arrested after Police raided Jaybandhi
village near Jhargram where Umakanto Mahato, one of the Jnaneswari
Express sabotage masterminds, was supposedly holding a meeting
with his aides. The arrested Maoists were identified as Nepal
Patra and Ranjit Rana. Earlier, it was reported that one Maoist
was seriously injured following the gun battle who was subsequently
arrested. A single barrel gun and several rounds of cartridges
were recovered from the arrested Maoist.
A group of about 12 armed Maoists
entered the house of Samir Pal, a JMM leader as well as a member
of the Shyamsunderpur Gram panchayat (village level local
self government institution) in Bankura District, on July 17 and
forcibly took him away. His bullet-ridden body was later found
on the outskirts of his Nachod Pachad village.
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|
July 19
|
Train services in the Kharagpur-Tatnagar
section of the South Eastern Railway were suspended for four hours
after the driver of a goods train noticed some posters lying next
to the railway tracks between Jhargram and Khatkura in the Maoist-affected
area of West Midnapore District.
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|
July 20
|
A group of about 50 cadres of
the CPI-Maoist killed two activists of the ruling CPI-M at Sindurpur
village in Purulia District, suspecting them to be Police informers.
The victims identified were Hrishikesh Kumar (58) and his son
Kashinath (30).
Tension prevailed in Jhargram
town as the Police had disperse a procession of tribal women who
tried to force their entry into the town to register their protest
against atrocities suffered by them during the joint operations
by Security Forces. A large procession of women that included
several school girls carried hand-written posters that claimed
that they had congregated as "Nari Izzat Bachao Committee" (Committee
for Protecting the Respect of Women).
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|
July 21
|
Some suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist
triggered a landmine blast in a culvert on Lodhasuli-Jhargram
road in Jhargram sub-division of West Midnapore District, cutting
off traffic to the main town. No one was injured in the incident.
The sub-divisional town of Jhargram remained cut off on all three
sides. The two other roads to the town from Dherua and Silda sides
remain blocked by large trees felled by tribal members of the
PCPA. PCPA members have been observing the blockade of Jhargram
sub-division since July 19 to protest against the alleged torture
of villagers by joint Security Forces.
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July 22
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Cadres of the CPI-Maoist shot
dead one person at Lodhashuli near Jhargram in West Midnapore
District. The body was recovered by the Police from State Highway
9. The identity of the victim could not be established. Several
posters written in red ink were found lying scattered near the
body in which the Maoists claimed that the person was a Police
informer.
Rajesh Munda, a close aide of
Maoist Polit Bureau member Koteswar Rao alias Kishan and
the main accused in the murder of JMM party MP Sunil Kumar Mahato
was arrested by the Police from a hideout of the Maoists at Ranja
forest in the Salboni area in West Midnapore District. Three Maoist
squad members, identified as Rajesh Hansda, Gopinath Mandi and
Mangal Soren were also arrested. Rajesh Munda, who hails from
Ranchi (Jharkhand), is a member of the Gurpana squad in Jharkhand.
Munda is also suspected to have played an integral role in the
Maoist attacks on Sankrail Police Station in October 2009 and
the massacre of 24 Eastern Frontier Rifles jawans at Silda in
February. Police sources said Munda functioned as a courier of
Kishan and used to deliver letters and documents from him to the
Central Committee members in Jharkhand, Orissa and Chhattisgarh.
Villagers of Radhanagar near Jhargram
beat back a gang of Maoist-backed PCPA that had entered the village
to force people to join a gherao (picketing) of the SDO office.
When the villagers resisted, a few were beaten up. In turn, villagers
charged the gang of 20 with sticks, forcing them to flee. They
hurled bombs at the villagers on their way out. Later in the evening,
a Police team from Jhargram went to the village.
Students of Gohomidanga High School
locked up the building to protest against a PCPA strike, which
forced them to miss a football meet organised by Police on July
19. Arrested PCPA leader Chhatradhar Mahato's son had participated
in the tournament.
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July 23
|
Cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed
Rabindranath Mahato (45), the headmaster of Indrabani Primary
School, in West Midnapore District for not allowing his students
to take part in a rally in the District. The Maoists had asked
Mahato a day before to send the students to the rally, but he
refused. In a show of dissent, some villagers of Radhanagar, five
km from Jhargram, refused to take part in a rally held by the
Maoists the day before. Rabindranath was a former panchayat
(village level local self Government institution) head. He was
also the Manikpara circle president of All Bengal Primary Teachers
Association, the primary teachers wing of the ruling CPI-M.
The Maoist dragged Madhu Mondal,
a CPI-M supporter, out of his house at Balarampur in Purulia District
and shot him dead.
Disgruntled over regular bandhs
and blockades called by the Maoists in Jangalmahal (forested south-western
part of West Bengal), thousands of villagers from more than 10
villages in Jhargram sub-division of West Midnapore District took
out a rally in the area. They were protesting against the atrocities
perpetrated on them by the Maoists and supporters of the Maoist-backed
PCPA. A group of Maoists and PCPA members had gone to Radhanagar
village in the area in the night of July 21 and asked the residents
to participate in a protest rally against alleged Police torture
on women members of the Maoist-backed Nari Izzat Bachao Committee
on July 20. Most of the villagers, however, refused to listen
to the group and chased them away. The Maoists returned to the
village on July 22 and allegedly beat up residents for daring
to defy their order.
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July 25
|
The CPI-Maoist cadres shot dead
Hemanta Mahato, suspecting him to be Police informer, in the Sankrail
area of West Midnapore District.
A suspected cadre of the CPI-Maoist-backed
PCPA, Sushil Mahato, was detained by angry residents in a village
and handed over to the Police. He was later "taken away" from
Police custody. While admitting Police lapse, Superintendent of
Police Manoj Verma said two cases were registered against those
who helped in Mahato's escape.
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July 26
|
Six cadres of the CPI-Maoist,
including a woman cadre, and a CRPF trooper were killed in an
encounter in the dense forests under Golatore Police Station in
West Midnapore District. 12 weapons, including SLRs and INSAS
rifles, were also recovered from the site of the encounter.
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July 27
|
Cadres of the CPI-Maoist blew
up a culvert, cutting off the road link between Midnapore and
Jhargram, at Malbandhi in West Midnapore District. Police
suspect that the explosion was in protest of the encounter at
Metala forest in which PCPA leader Sidhu Soren and five PLGA cadres
were killed. PLGA 'area commander' said, "Ask the Police and CPM
to prepare themselves for more shocking attacks."
PCPA leader Jiten Giri, a resident
of Moraboni in Jhargram sub-division accused in seven cases, including
two murders, surrendered before the Sub-divisional Judicial Magistrate
(SDJM) S. K. Mohammed Reza of Jhargram court in West Midnapore.
The CBI is probing whether he was involved in the May 28 Gyaneshwari
train incident which left 148 passengers dead. He has been remanded
in Police custody for 14 days.
The Maoist-backed PCPA announced
a State-wide 48-hour bandh (shut down) from August 3, The
Hindu reports. This is part of a week-long mourning programme
to be held in protest against the killing of the outfit's general
secretary Sidhu Soren by the Security Forces on July 26.
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July 28
|
Underscoring the Maoists' weakening
grip over the people of Jangalmahal, a large number of women and
school children took out a rally at Kanko village under Jhargram
sub-division of West Midnapore District in protest against violence
perpetrated by the Maoists and the Maoist-backed PCPA.
The West Bengal State Government
issued a notification for the formal roll-out of the amnesty scheme
for Maoists willing to surrender. It would be applicable to Maoists
who want to surrender, with or without arms, in the Naxal-affected
Districts of West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura. Director General
of Police Bhupinder Singh said: "The open-ended scheme is for
a hard-core Maoist or any member of a squad. However, over-ground
members or sympathisers may also be considered in exceptional
cases." The notification came a month after the Government announced
its decision to accept the guidelines framed by the Union Ministry
for Home Affairs (MHA) for surrender and rehabilitation of Naxalites.
The scheme will now be publicised in two languages - Santhali
(Al Chiki) and Bengali - for it to reach the targeted audience.
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July 29
|
The CPI-Maoists cadres shot dead
Rajen Mahato, a Trinamool Congress Party panchayat (village
level local self government institution) chief at Kumardihi in
the Balarampur area of Purulia District. Maoist 'area commander'
Pravat took the onus of the killing and branded him as corrupt.
About 30-armed Maoists raided
the house of CPI-M's Belpahari local secretary and Binpur panchayat
samity sabhapati (chairman of Block level local self-government
institution) Hariram Singh at Gajapathar village and set ablaze
his motorbike and tractor.
Sheikh Jumer Ali (50) went missing
since July 27 evening from Jhargram. Ali's wife Soidesha suspects
that the Maoists have abducted her husband. A teacher, Ajit Giri,
had also been missing from Jhargram for over a month. He was reportedly
abducted by Maoists while he was coming out of the classroom.
The Railways have decided to extend
suspension of night movement of trains in parts of West Bengal
and Jharkhand till August 3.The decision came in the backdrop
of CPI-Maoist observing a week-long 'martyrs week'.
A day after the State Government
issued a notification on its surrender policy for Left Wing Extremists,
Chief Minister (CM) Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said that quite a
few Maoists had surrendered and many more want to do so. CM Bhattacharjee
also said Maoists were forcibly closing many schools in these
areas and forcing students to participate in their programmes.
Claiming that the influence of Maoists was waning, he said earlier
they would not allow Police to organise football matches but the
recent soccer tournament organised by the Police at Lalgarh was
watched by over 3,000 villagers. In all 12 teams participated
in the tournament. Such tournaments would be organized in Purulia
and Bankura, two other Districts affected by Maoists, the CM said.
The CM said that the Central Forces engaged in security operations
to flush out Maoists from Jangalmahal would stay on in the region
till their task was over. Bhattacharjee, replying to questions
in the State Assembly on the situation in the Maoist-affected
areas said, "The work for restoration of law and order and normality
in the Maoist-affected areas has to continue. Thirty-five companies
of joint forces are operating in Lalgarh and its adjoining areas.
They will stay there till the time they are required to," adding,
that he had discussed the matter with the Centre which had the
same view.
In an apparent bid to terrorise
disgruntled locals at Radhanagar near Jhargram, suspected CPI-Maoist
cadres reportedly attacked the villagers. One of the villagers,
Golam Mostafa, said the Maoists opened fire on him when he tried
to raise an alarm. The Maoists then reportedly opened fire again,
injuring three more villagers Shambhu Mahato, Madhusudan Karan
and Mohan Soi. Police claimed that the attackers were members
of PCPA or a Maoist squad. "They probably went there to terrorise
the villagers, who recently refused to obey the PCPA diktat,"
said a senior Police Officer.
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July 30
|
CPI-Maoist cadres shot dead ruling
CPI-M supporter Bidyadhar Ghosh of Kakotpal village near Binpur
in Jhargram sub-division in West Midnapore District while he was
working in his agricultural field.
PCPA secretary Manoj Mahato said,
"CPI-M supporters are trying to malign us by posing as PCPA men
and attacking the villagers." He added, "Hundreds of women took
out rallies at Birihari and Jarulia on July 30 in protest against
rape and torture at Sonamukhi."
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July 31
|
Maoist-backed PCPA declared the
name of the new commander in chief. PCPA spokesperson Asit Mahato
said that Tota Hembram will replace Sidhu Soren as new commander
in chief. Hembram hails from the Baita area. The outfit has named
Monoj Mahato as the new secretary. Sidhu Soren was the founder
secretary of PCPA.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs
warned that hemmed in by Security Forces and repulsed by villagers
fed up with violence, Maoists in Jangalmahal are preparing to
strike back. The warning came in the wake of the killing of Sidhu
Soren and five other Maoists in the forests of Goaltore. The latest
warning has also indicated that apart from their tribal stronghold,
the Maoists were also looking to strengthen their network in Kolkata
which is evident from Maoist posters found a few days back near
Raj Bhavan.
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August 1
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A person's dead body with bullet
marks was recovered in the Maoist-dominated Salboni area of West
Midnapore District. "The body was found by locals at Gormal village,"
Police said. Maoist posters were found beside the body, which
had bullet wounds.
One more person, identified as
Lakhan Mahato, was arrested at Jhargram in West Midnapore District
for his reported involvement in the May 28 derailment of the Jnaneswari
Express. "Mahato was arrested and handed over to the Central Bureau
of Investigation (CBI) and was produced in court on August 1,"
Superintendent of Police Manoj Verma said. He was remanded to
Police custody for 10 days.
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August 2
|
The Police arrested Kartyk Dutta,
a cadre of the CPI-Maoist, from Sardiha railway station in West
Midnapore District in connection with the killing of a primary
school teacher named Rabindranath Mahato on July 23 in Manikpara.
According to Police sources, Dutta had two cases against him,
including a robbery case at Indraboni village.
The Police arrested five members
of the Trinamool Congress (TC) party on charge of having links
with the CPI-Maoist in Bankura District. The arrested persons
were identified as Somnath Duley, Arun Duley, Uttam Chatterjee,
Madhusudan Chatterjee and Uttam Ahir. According to Police, the
five accused were involved in the violence at Tantidanga under
Sarenga police station. They had allegedly led an attack on a
bus, robbed the passengers off their cell phones and other belongings,
made them get off the bus and set it on fire. Bankura Superintendent
of Police Pranav Kumar said the Police detained a total of nine
persons in this connection. Of them, five admitted that they were
involved in the incident.
The CBI announced a second round
of cash reward of INR 550,000 for anyone who could provide information
leading to the arrest of the eight accused in the Jnaneswari Express
derailment case. The agency has identified the accused as Shashadhar
Mahato, Tapan Mahato, Jayanta Bhakta, Joydeb Mahato, Sanjoy Mahato,
Laxmikanta Roy, Bachan Manna and Altab Hossein. Shashadhar Mahato
brother of PCPA convener Chhatradhar Mahato is among the eight
persons. So far, CBI has arrested nine persons, including prime
accused Bapi Mahato, in connection with the accident case. On
August 1, Lakhan Mahato was arrested and remanded to CBI custody
for 10 days by Jhargram court. Earlier, CBI had announced a reward
of INR 300,000 for information about Bapi Mahato, Umakanta and
Asit.
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August 3
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The 48-hour-bandh (shut
down) called by the Maoist-backed PCPA disrupted normal life in
the West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia Districts.
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August 4
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Shedding their initial opposition
to the Trinamool Congress party rally at Lalgarh in West Midnapore
District, the CPI-Maoist-backed PCPA decided to take part in the
August 9 rally after Trinamool Chief Mamata Banerjee set aside
political banners and gave it a broader shape. "We are always
against terror and violence. We are ready to cooperate with the
Santras Birodhi Mancha to help bring peace in Jangalmahal," PCPA
secretary Manoj Mahato said.
While 340 civilians have since
June 2009 lost their lives to Maoist violence in West Midnapore
– the worst affected District in West Bengal – the District administration
has so far been able to send only 21 names of Maoist victims to
the Union Home Ministry for payment of compensation.
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August 5
|
A supporter of the ruling CPI-M,
Nirmal Routh, abducted by the CPI-Maoist cadres in West Midnapore
District, managed to escape from captivity despite being shot
twice. Routh was abducted in the night of August 4 by a gang of
12 armed Maoists from his residence at Nayagram in Gopiballavpur
block in the District and taken to a deep forest.
A Maoist, identified as Phatik
Mahato, involved in the killing of Rabindranath Mahato, the headmaster
of Indraboni primary school in West Midnapore District, was arrested
from Sardhia railway station in Jhargram.
Maoist Polit bureau member Koteswar
Rao alias Kishan called upon the people of Jangalmahal
to join the August 9 rally convened by Trinamool Congress party
chief Mamata Banerjee. "We support the meeting that is being held
under the anti-terror forum. The Maoists too are against state-sponsored
and CPM-sponsored terror," Kishan said.
The CPI-Maoist is planning to
launch an offensive on the Security Forces after the Lalgarh rally
on August 9. A secret meeting headed by Maoist leader Manasharam
Hembram alias Bikas was held on August 3 at Pidrakhuli
to fine-tune the action plan, according to an intelligence report
sent to the State Home Department. Some top level Maoist leaders
are expected to enter West Bengal on August 8 or 9 to spearhead
the operation, intelligence sources said. The report further claims
that apart from Bikas, Jnaneswari derailment accused Asit Mahato
and Umakanta Mahato were also present in the meeting. Bikas who
is believed to be hiding at Kalsibhanga had organised the meeting
at Pidrakhuli near Pirakata "phari". The report hints that some
"outsiders" have already sneaked into the West Bengal periphery.
However, big Maoist leaders are expected to come not before August
8 or 9.
A recent intelligence report,
which reached Writers’ Buildings (the secretariat of West Bengal),
suggested that some key members of the Maoist-backed PCPA are
in talks with Trinamool Congress party leaders in West and East
Midnapore Districts to reach an electoral pact with the principal
opposition party, which is still organisationally weak in Maoist-infested
Lalgarh and Jangalmahal. The PCPA has given a clear indication
of its intention of contesting the next assembly polls with the
support from Trinamool Congress. The organisation has announced
it will join Mamata Banerjee’s meeting in Lalgarh on August 9.
In a candid admission, Buddhadeb
Bhattacharjee said the Left Front Government in the State had
committed mistakes for three decades with regard to land acquisition
policy among others. "We made mistakes for past three decades
in panchayats and education. We made a mistake in land
acquisition. But we have corrected it. We have now become careful,"
Bhattacharjee told a programme to mark the 122nd birth anniversary
of Muzzaffar Ahmed, one of the founders of the party.
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August 6
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Sunil Mahato, a CPI-Maoist squad
member, who was arrested from the house of a person identified
as Anil Mahato in Dhanbhori village near Barikul Police Station
in Bankura late on August 5 was produced before the Additional
Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Khatra and remanded to five
days Police custody. Anil was also arrested for providing shelter
to Sunil and produced in court. Bankura Police Superintendent
Pranav Kumar said, "Anil was also arrested for providing shelter
to Sunil, who is wanted in many cases including the killing of
Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) supporter Samir Pal two
months back. Later, after investigation it was found that Anil
was also a Maoist linkman, who used to provide information to
the rebels," he added. A firearm and several rounds of cartridges
were recovered from Sunil, said Kumar. During investigations,
it was found that Anil is the husband of Sulekha Mahato, Trinamool
Congress leader and head of Samshundarpur gram panchayat
(village level local self-Government institution), a senior Police
officer said.
Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist
raided the Urma railway station in Purulia District and took railway
staff including the station master as hostage and released after
some time and warned them of returning to the station in the night.
Train services in the Purulia-Chandil section of South Eastern
Railway were affected from that night.
The State Government received
the Centre's approval for deployment of paramilitary forces at
the rally to be held in Lalgarh on August 9 by Trinamool Congress
party chief and Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee. On the
participation of the Maoist-backed PCPA at the meeting, Inspector-General
(Law and Order) S. Purakayastha said that apart from banned organisations,
anyone could attend the meeting. However, if a case is pending
against anyone of them, then they would face arrest.
The PCPA leadership challenged
the Police to arrest their representatives who would be participating
in the rally and warned that the local people would detain the
policemen who attempt to do so. The reaction came following Director-General
of Police Bhupinder Singh's statement on August 5 that any PCPA
member participating in the rally would be arrested from the rally
premises. PCPA secretary Manoj Mahato further threatened that
local people would burn down all CPI-M camps set up in the region
for allegedly housing armed cadres unless they are withdrawn before
August 9.
The Police intercepted seven vanloads
of school children at Dahijuri who were on their way to Jhargram
town to participate in a rally organised by the Maoists. According
to Jhargram Superintendent of Police Pravin Tripathi, the students
who belonged to Ranarani School at Andharia alleged that some
unidentified persons forced them to attend the rally and had also
arranged for the vehicles.
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August 7
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A local leader of the ruling CPI-M,
Datakarna Mahato was shot at and injured by suspected cadres of
the CPI-Maoist, near Jhargram town in West Midnapore District.
Pravin Tripathi, Superintendent of Police of Jhargram Police District,
said, "Mr. Mahato is a former pradhan (president) of the bandhgora
panchayat (village level local self government institution).
He was attacked in broad daylight by a helmet-wearing person.
He suffered bullet injury on his back but is out of danger."
Maoists threw a grenade and blew
up a high tension pillar of Purulia pump storage project at Bagmundi.
Maoist posters demanding supply of power to Bagmundi, was found
near the spot, the Police added.
The CPI-Maoist announced an "amnesty
package" to ruling CPI-M cadres who are willing to "surrender"
and "return to the mainstream." According to a statement issued
by Maoist leader Akash, when "surrendered", an AK-47 or SLR rifle
would fetch INR 100,000, other rifles would fetch INR 50,000,
revolvers, pistols would fetch INR 8,000, and bullets would fetch
their market price.
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August 8
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Two persons identified as Tapan
Mahato and Altaf Mian were arrested from the Indrabani and Jaljali
forest area of Jhargram in West Midnapore District for their reported
involvement in the May 28 derailment of Jnaneswari Express near
Sardhia that claimed 150 lives. Both the persons belong to the
Maoist-backed PCPA.
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August 11
|
Some suspected CPI-Maoist cadres
shot dead Subal Tanti at Mahishamura village in the Barikul area
of Bankura District. He was earlier a supporter of the ruling
CPI-M but was expelled on corruption charges. "He had joined the
Maoist-backed People’s Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA)
a few months back. He reportedly collected money from the local
traders on behalf of the outfit. It appears that he was killed
due to an internal row over money laundering," Superintendent
of Police Pranav Kumar said.
CPI-Maoist polit bureau member
Koteswar Rao alias Kishan defended Trinamool Congress party
chief Mamata Banerjee for stating that the killing of the outfit's
spokesman Cherukuri Rajkumar alias Azad was wrong and said
talks could only be held after the withdrawal of anti-Maoist operations.
On talks with the Government, he said, "after so much treachery
we can still discuss the central government's offer of talks at
our central and state committees if the Centre stops violence
and withdraws Operation Green Hunt."
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August 12
|
Armed CPI-M cadres allegedly continued
their operation against the Maoists and members of PCPA in some
parts of West Midnapore. Around 200 armed CPI-M cadres reportedly
entered several villages near Belia, Chandra, Malbandhi
and Pukurmuri in Midnapore Sadar block and drove out the PCPA
supporters. Interestingly, there was little resistance from the
Maoists. In the night of August 11, however, the Maoists resisted
the CPI-M cadres near Dherua and stopped their advance towards
Lalgarh. The CPI-M force, which had started their march from Enayetpur
party office, is now camping at a primary school in Malbandhi.
PCPA secretary Manoj Mahato reported, "Goons led by CPM leaders
Anuj Pandey and Satyen Maity ransacked houses and set villagers'
homes on fire." Mahato claimed that CPI-M cadres set ablaze houses
of Bijay Mandi, Bidhan Mandi and Bishu Mandi at Pukurmuri village.
Purulia Police arrested five Maoist
squad members, including an ‘area commander’ Nanda Kumar alias
Anand Kumar, who carried a reward of INR 50,000 on his head. The
four others were identified as Bhabataran Mahato, Gobardhan Mura,
Umacharan Mura and Mansaram Mandi. The Police claimed that all
five are the members of a Maoist squad active in the Ayodhya Hills.
Nandakumar hails from Kerua village near Ghatbera of Balarampur
and the four others are from the Bagmundi area. The Police recovered
a revolver from them.
In a joint operation, East Midnapore
District Police arrested eight suspected Maoists from Kapasberia
near Mahishadal. They were staying at a hotel. After detaining
all eight at Mahishadal Police Station since the night of August
8, Police handed them over to their West Midnapore counterparts
on August 11. Three of the suspected Maoists were identified as
Gurucharan Tudu, Ramapada Soren and Joyram Murmu from the Jhargram
area. The Police claimed that Gurucharan is involved in some murders
in Jhargram. Following their interrogation, the Police reportedly
recovered four bodies buried beside a canal near Kumirkata village
of Binpur. One of those four bodies was identified to be Monotosh
Singh of Patiyara village of Binpur. The bodies of a man and two
women are yet to be not identified. "Those have been brought to
Jhargram for post-mortem," said Jhargram SP Praveen Tripathi.
Bhupinder Singh, the DGP said
that the Maoists have moved to North Bengal and are creating their
bases there after facing tough action from the Security Forces
in the Junglemahal area. Singh, who is currently touring Darjeeling
to assess the law and order situation in the District, said: "It
is in the four Districts of Cooch Behar, North Dinajpur, South
Dinajpur and Malda where the Maoists are spreading their influence."
He claimed that Maoists have joined hands with Kamtapur Liberation
Organisation (KLO) and setting up camps in remote hilly areas
of North Bengal.
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August 13
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Cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed
Santosh Dutta, a worker of the ruling CPI-M, in Belpahari area
of West Midnapore District.
Maoists blew up a culvert in Salboni
area with a landmine and set ablaze two mini-trucks and a pick-up
van at Jamboni area of the District.
Four Maoists identified as Mohan
Mahato, Tapan Mahato, Ravi Mahato and Choitanya Mura were caught
by villagers and handed over to the Police in the Belpahari area
of West Midnapore District.
A group of 50 members of the Maoist-backed
mass militia raided the house of Prabir Sui, a moneylender and
car dealer at Bhetur village in Jamboni. Sui wasn't at home. His
son, Kaushik, was assaulted. Samir and Mihir, brothers of Prabir,
were captured by the group but managed to escape. Before leaving,
they set ablaze four vehicles parked outside Sui's house.
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August 14
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A CPI-M supporter, Choton Mahato
of Chandebila village in Kotwali Police Station area in the same
District was found shot dead in the morning. He was dragged out
of his house by a gang of armed Maoists in the night of August
13.
The Maoists carried out a series
of subversive attacks in several areas in the District's Jhargram
sub division. In Bhowadi village near Dharampur, the rebels triggered
two landmine blasts in a forest beat office, blowing up a major
portion of the building. Several Improvised Explosive Devices
(IEDs) and wires were recovered from the area.
'Acting on specific information
that the Maoists have taken shelter in the forest near Nayagram,
the joint forces conducted raids in the area Friday [August 13]
night and Saturday [August14] morning,' said Jhargram Superintendent
of Police Praveen Tripathi.
A Maoist linkman, Lakshmikanta
Soren was arrested from the area by the Security Forces after
a search operation. 'It was learnt that Lakshmikanta was a Maoist
sympathiser and the rebels used to hold regular meetings in his
house,' said the Police chief.
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August 15
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Cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed
two supporters of the ruling CPI-M in West Midnapore District.
"The Maoists abducted five persons from the village late on Saturday
night. Two of them were killed by the Maoists and the others were
released," Manoj Verma, Superintendent of Police told The Hindu
over telephone. The bullet-ridden bodies of Shankar Jana and Nishikanta
Mondal were found outside Kamalapukuria village on Sunday [August
15] morning, Verma added. "The others who were abducted were released
and have returned home", he said.
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August 16
|
Another key accused in the Jnaneswari
sabotage, Laxmikanta Roy alias Rekha Roy, a cadre of the
Maoist-backed PCPA, was arrested in Jhargram. CBI had announced
a reward worth INR 50,000 on him. "We got the tip from villagers,
who have been cooperating with security forces in recent times,"
said a Police Officer.
Sukhdev Hembram, a squad member
of the CPI-Maoist, was arrested from Sarenga in Bankura District.
Hembram is a resident of Goaltore West Midnapore and is suspected
to have been a part of the Maoists' Goaltore squad that was earlier
headed by Sidhu Soren. No arms were found on him though. Police
are trying to find out details from him.
Supporters of the ruling CPI-M
chased away a group of Maoists who wanted to hold a meeting at
Ramchandrapur village near Jhargram. Three villagers, Basu Soren,
Jhuna Murmu and Chandrakanta Soren, sustained bullet injuries
after Maoists opened fire on the villagers.
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August 18
|
Eight cadres of the CPI-Maoist
were arrested following a gun battle between the Maoists and Security
Forces (SFs) at Kolsidanga forest in Salboni in West Midnapore
District. SFs claimed that the Maoist-backed PCPA secretary Asit
Mahato and spokesman Manoj Mahato had been hiding there, but managed
to escape. Two 12 bore guns with eight rounds of cartridges, seven
landmines, 60 kilograms of explosives, five rounds of cartridges
of locally-made guns and detonators were recovered from the area.
Asserting that she "sticks to"
whatever she had said at the Lalgarh rally on August 9, including
her remarks on the death of CPI-Maoist leader Azad, Trinamool
Congress Party Chief Mamata Banerjee welcomed the Maoist leadership's
suggestion for a three-month ceasefire and peace talks. Mamata
Banerjee had earlier dubbed the encounter killing of Azad as murder.
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August 19
|
A powerful IED was found tucked
below a culvert at Radhashyampur in Jhargram. The spot is close
to the CRPF camp at Beltala.
In a joint operation by the Jhargram
and Bankura Police, forces arrested CPI-Maoist ‘squad leader'
Haren Mahato of the Madan Mahato group from Tamajuri under Belpahari
Police Station. The Police recovered a licensed gun from Mahato,
which they claim was snatched from Sanatan Hansda of Phulberia
in Jhargram. Mahato also had 10 rounds of cartridges.
Two cadres of the CPI-Maoist,
identified as Sunil Mandal and Sushil Hembram, were arrested by
the Police from the Ranibandh area in Bankura District.
A CRPF team arrested eleven Maoists
from Bkalsi nanga village and recovered two IEDs, 44 kilograms
of explosives, six detonators and 14 metres of wire. They were
later handed over to the Police.
In an another recovery in the
District, the force recovered two guns, two tiffin bombs, 50-60
kilograms of explosives, ten detonators, 25 rounds of ammunition
and a carton of high intensity crackers from Chota Kalsi Bhanga
village.
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August 20
|
The members of the Maoists' Ayodhya
Hill squad raided the remote villages of Khamar and Jojahatu inside
dense forests in Purulia District along the West Bengal-Jharkhand
border and looted six licensed firearms including rifles and revolvers
belonging to the villagers after beating them up, Purulia Superintendent
of Police (SP) Rajesh Yadav said.
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|
August 21
|
The CPI-Maoist West Bengal state
committee called a 24-hour bandh in West Midnapore, Bankura
and Purulia, demanding withdrawal of Security Forces.
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|
August 22
|
About 10-12 armed cadres of the
CPI-Maoist killed Nandalal Besra (52), a supporter of the ruling
CPI-M and abducted his niece identified as Anima Besra (32), who
works with the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) project,
from Letham village at Bandwan in Purulia late in the night.
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|
August 23
|
The SFs raided the hideout of
Shashadhar Mahato, a ‘senior leader’ of the Maoists who carries
a reward of INR 200,000 on his head, in Gosaibandh village
and recovered 14 landmines and 80 kilogrammes of splinters, besides
wires, computer gadgets, one cycle and Maoist literature and posters
in West Midnapore District. Additional Superintendent of Police
Mukesh Kumar told reporters that Mahato and a woman ‘leader’,
Suchitra Mahato, used to stay there. The SFs, however, could not
trace them.
Four cadres of the CPI-Maoist-backed
PCPA were killed by a suspected anti-Maoist group in Hansadumri
village of Bankura District in the night. The dead bodies of Sujit
Giri, Sanjit Gorai, Hikim Murmu and Lakshmikanta Soren were found
in the morning of August 24 on the Bankura-Jhargram road, 18 kilometres
from the local Barikul Police Station. Another cadre, Arun Patra,
who was with the group when it was attacked, is missing.
The Maoist-backed PCPA called
for a bandh on August 26 in Jungle Mahal belt comprising
West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura Districts, to protest the
alleged killing of their supporters by CPI-M. PCPA spokesperson
Monoj Mahato said the bandh would be preceded by an Arandhan
(no-cooking day) on August 24.
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|
August 24
|
A 17-year-old member of Maoist
leader Bikash’s squad was killed in a gun battle with the SFs
at Bakshibandh forest in West Midnapore District. However,
Maoist leader Bikash, along with 12 members of his squad, managed
to escape. Police also recovered a cache of arms - two .303 rifles,
one carbine, one SBGL gun and 30 rounds of cartridges. Clothes
and medicines lay scattered in the Maoist camp.
An unidentified dead body was
found lying on the metalled road between Dhenrua and Lalgarh near
Bhairabkundu village. Posters close by the body read that the
victim had been acting as a spy for "CPM harmads" (goons of ruling
CPI-M).
Gunrunner Mahesh Kumar Singh —
who was arrested from near Sovabazar Metro station in June 2010
— had reportedly bought at least 2.5 lakh rounds of ammunition
from Kolkata for the Maoists in the last three years. Police fear
the actual number of bullets Mahesh passed on to the Maoists in
Kolkata could be "many times more".
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|
August 26
|
Just before being killed by Security
Forces, Umakanta Mahato, a prime accused in Jnaneswari Express
derailment case, along with CPI-Maoist local ‘area commander’
Jayanto alias Sahebram Hembram and about a dozen squad
members, held a 'people's court' at midnight at Kalabani village,
near Jhargram in West Midnapore District and ‘sentenced’ three
supporters of ruling CPI-Marxist to death after branding them
Police informers. The victims were identified as Rajib, Gopal
and Tapan Mantri.
A railway employee, Dayamoy Mahato
(28), was arrested along with one Ram Mudi (21) from a house in
Indraboni near the Jnaneswari Express derailment site in West
Midnapore District in connection with the incident. "Dayamoy had
supplied the timings of Jnaneswari and the goods train. He also
gave information on Police movements," a CBI source said. An officer
said Ram was a CPI-Maoist action squad member. "Dayamoy is from
Rasua and Ram from Kalajhora, all within 6 kms of Rajabandh
[the incident site]," said Jhargram Police chief Praveen Tripathi.
Shobhan Karak alias Bijoy,
a CPI-Maoist squad member of the Goaltore area, surrendered before
senior Police officers at West Midnapore District. Karak was a
resident of Sundarpur near Patharpara village and he surrendered
with a single barrel gun and 14 rounds of ammunition. Karak, accused
in 13 criminal cases including murder and sedition since 2009,
was also associated with the PCPA and the Sidhu Kanu Gana Militia.
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August 27
|
Umakanta Mahato, a PCPA cadre
and a prime suspect in the Jnaneswari Express sabotage case, was
killed in an encounter with joint Security Forces in Jhargram
area of West Midnapore District early in the morning. West Bengal
DGP Bhupinder Singh told a 9 mm pistol and several rounds of ammunition
was also recovered, but Umakanto's associates managed to escape.
Shobha Mandi alias Uma,
the CPI-Maoist Jhargram ‘area commander’, surrendered before the
Superintendent of Police Manoj Kumar Verma at the West Midnapore
District Police's Headquarters in Midnapore town. Shobha, a native
of Bankura District, was active in the Jhargram-Belpahari belt
of the District. Verma said that the Maoist leader had decided
to leave the organisation after allegedly being sexually exploited
by some senior leaders of the outfit.
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August 28
|
Cadres of the CPI-Maoist set ablaze
a community hall, being built at Nayagram in West Midnapore District,
where the Security Forces were planning to set up a camp. Locals
at Chandabila village of Nayagram block said that late in the
night, a group of around 40-50 Maoist cadres gathered near the
single storey structure, shouted slogans, poured petrol and set
it ablaze in a half-hour ‘operation’.
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August 29
|
Chameli Das, a woman squad leader
of the CPI-Maoists from Munger District of Bihar, was arrested
by Police from Keshab Chandra Sen Street in central Kolkata. Das,
who is in her early 40s and faces more than a dozen cases, including
an attack on Sub Divisional Officer (SDO) office in Munger (Bihar)
in 2008, had been staying in the city for the past five days with
her trader-husband Badri Das, Police said. The woman had come
from Bihar, apparently, for treatment.
Two arms suppliers, identified
as Biswanath Mondal and Sheikh Amjad, who allegedly catered to
the Maoists were arrested from Chatna area of Bankura District.
15 gelatine sticks and 20 detonators were recovered from them.
Purulia railway station was closed
for seven hours after Maoists warned the staff against working
during a bandh called by them to protest Jnaneswari express
derailment case prime accused Umakanta Mahato’s killing.
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August 30
|
Armed cadres of the CPI-Maoist
shot dead a supporter of the ruling CPI-M, identified as Jawahar
Chalak, in Balichera village under Lalgarh Police Station of West
Midnapore District in the midnight. Chalak was a brick kiln worker.
The Maoist-backed PCPA, announced
its decision to contest the 2011 West Bengal assembly elections.
PCPA will be fielding candidates in the three Maoist strongholds
of West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia Districts. Most of the
PCPA candidates will be fielded from West Midnapore. PCPA will
officially submit an application to the Election Commission seeking
"bow and arrow" as their party symbol. "If the commission does
not approve of our symbol, we will contest as independent candidates,"
PCPA General Secretary Manoj Mahato said.
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August 31
|
A Maoist squad member, Bibhuti
Mahato, surrendered before the Police. According to District Superintendent
of Police Manoj Kumar Verma, Bibhuti Mahato was a member of the
Belpahari squad operating under the leadership of Madan Mahato,
and had been charged in more than 15 cases of murder, abduction,
arson and sedition since 2009. Bibhuti Mahato also surrendered
a single-barrel rifle.
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|
September 1
|
Two local leaders of the ruling
CPI-M were killed by suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist in the
Jhargram sub-division of West Midnapore District. One of the victims,
Abinash Mahato, was a Jhargram zonal committee member. According
to the Police, Mahato and Nirmal Bagh — both residents of Kharbandi
village were abducted by a group of 10 to 12 armed Maoists from
their homes late in the night. "Their bullet-riddled bodies were
found on a metalled road at Nandageria, about two km from their
village, early on Wednesday [September 2]. It appears that both
the men were severely beaten up before being shot at," Mukesh
Kumar, Additional Superintendent of Police of Jhargram said.
Two persons, identified as Asit
Mahato and Girija Mahato, were shot dead by the CPI-Maoist cadres
at Aguiboni in West Midnapore District. According to the Police,
the two duo was essentially Maoist sympathisers who used to provide
information about the SF’s movement in the region to the Maoists
so that they could escape before forces raided their hideouts.
"Both were residents of Bankshol village which was also the native
place of slain People’s Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA)
leader Umakanto Mahato, who was killed during an encounter in
the early hours of August 26 in Mohanpur forest", Police said.
Additional Superintendent of Police of Jhargram District, Mukesh
Kumar said the Maoists suspected that Asit Mahato and Girija Mahato
had turned into Police Informers and killed them. "A poster was
found near the bodies that claimed that both were Police Informers.
A landmine was also detected near the bodies but was later defused
by the SFs," he added.
The Police arrested three suspected
Maoist cadres from Bankura District in connection with the killing
of a Police officer. Bankura Superintendent of Police Pranev Kumar
said: "The arrested have been identified as Laksmikanta Borat,
Thakurdas Duley and Ananda Tudu. The three are Maoist squad members
and active in the Sarenga and Ranibandh Police Station
areas of the District. They are accused of killing Inspector-in-charge
of Sarenga Police Station Rabi Lochan Mitra." Mitra was killed
by the Maoists while he was returning to the Police Station after
a gun battle with the Maoists on February 25.
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September 2
|
The Maoists observed a 24-hour-bandh
in West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura Districts demanding withdrawal
of the SFs from the region, seizure of weapons from the ruling
CPI-Marxist cadres and arrest of certain CPI-M leaders.
Residents of Pachakhali village
handed over Kalu Mahato, an action squad member of the Maoists
led by Samiran Hansda in Jharkhand to the Police. A group of six
Maoists had gone to Jhargram town to extort money from a contractor
but could not enter the town because the joint forces were patrolling
the area. The Maoists took a road through Pachakhali on their
way back to Jharkhand and came across the villagers who caught
Kalu Mahato while others managed to escape.
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September 4
|
Dibakar Mahato, a teacher of Salboni
Primary school, who was also a member of the ruling CPI-M, was
shot dead by cadres of the CPI-Maoist during school hours in West
Midnapore District. According to locals, a group of five-six armed
Maoists came to Salboni School on motorbikes and dragged Dibakar
out of the classroom, took him to the highway number 9 and shot
him dead.
Manoj Mahato, general secretary
of Maoist-backed PCPA, was arrested along with a Maoist Nabakumar
Mahato from Katapahari in the District. A 9 mm pistol and six
rounds were seized from his possession. Manoj was remanded in
judicial custody for 14 days by a local court on September 5.
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|
September 5
|
A group of four suspected cadres
of the CPI-Maoist shot at Bidyut Pandey, a supporter of the ruling
CPI-M, near his home at his village Bhairabkundu, near Lalgarh
in West Midnapore District.
Three suspected Maoists were arrested
by SFs from Barikul area of Bankura District.
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|
September 6
|
In a recorded audio statement,
CPI-Maoist polit bureau member Koteshwar Rao alias Kishan
announced death sentence to five leaders of the ruling CPI-M.
Western Region Development Minister Sushanta Ghosh, considered
to be a strongman in the Maoist-hit West Midnapore District is
one among the five threatened CPI-M leaders. The four others are
Deepak Sarkar, Dahareswar Sen, Anuj Pandey and Prashanta Das.
"These leaders are masterminding the armed operations of the CPI
(M) and the people have given them death sentence. We'll execute
the order at any cost," said Kishan. He claimed though the CPI-M
had set up a number of camps to house armed cadres in and around
Lalgarh, the people would retaliate. "The people would not show
mercy to those who keep any link with the CPI-M," he added.
Kishan called for ensuring the
defeat of the CPI-M candidates in the Jangalmahal areas of West
Bengal in 2011 assembly polls.
The Maoist-backed PCPA called
a 24-hour-bandh on September 10 in the West Midnapore,
Purulia and Bankura Districts in protest against the arrest of
the outfit's general secretary, Manoj Mahato, by the West Midnapore
District police on September 3.
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September 8
|
Trinamool Congress party supporter
Jithen Soren was shot dead in front of his house in Siromoni illage
under Kotawli Police Station of West Midnapore District in the
night. "Though the modus operandi suggests that the Communist
Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) are behind the murder, his
family members lodged a complaint against local CPI-M [Communist
Party of India-Marxist] supporters," said a Kotwali Police Station
Official.
The Police searched the forests
near Jhargram in West Midnapore District for the three youths
who have been missing since September 6. The Police said Alok
Bera, Parthasarathi Maity and Alok Sit, all residents of Jamboni,
could have been abducted by the cadres of the CPI-Maoist.
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|
September 9
|
Two suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist,
identified as Dilip Hembram and Bullet Mahato, were arrested by
SFs from West Midnapore and Bankura Districts. Dilip Hembram,
a resident of Keshiara in Goaltore area of West Midnapore District
was arrested from Koyena village in Sarenga of Bankura District
in the night. A firearm and several rounds of ammunition were
recovered from him. Dilip was accused in several cases including
murder, sedition and robbery. Bullet Mahato was arrested by CRPF
and Police during a joint operation from Buripala area of Lalgarh
in West Midnapore District.
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September 12
|
A cadre of
the CPI-Maoist was killed in infighting among cadres of the outfit
in West Midnapore District, Police officials said. The body of
Bishwajit Mahato was found at a roadside eatery on the road between
Medhawada and Lodhasuli.
A suspected
Maoist shot at and wounded Tarun Banerjee (38), a branch committee
member of the ruling CPI-M at Lalgarh.
A group of
30 Maoists triggered an explosion at the CPI-M local committee
office at Lodhasuli.
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|
September 13
|
Cadres of the
CPI-Maoist shot dead five supporters of the ruling CPI-M at Nachupatina
village in West Midnapore District. The five persons that included
four of a family were dragged out from their homes and killed.
The victims were identified as Amrit Aagyuan, Rohin Aagyuan, Samaresh
Aagyuan, Swapan Aagyuan and Prasanta Aagyuan. Amrit Aagyuan’s
mother was injured when she resisted the Maoists.
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| September 20 |
The cadres of the CPI-Maoist shot
dead Ananta Mukherjee, a local leader of the ruling CPI-M, and
critically injured his security guard, identified as Amarendra
Mondal, at Silda near Jhargram in West Midnapore District.
Suspected Maoists ransacked an
abandoned CPI-M office at Dakshinsol in the Jhargram sub-division
even as the CPI-M observed a 12-hour-bandh in the sub-division.
Maoist-backed PCPA spokesperson
Asit Mahato announced that Ajit Mahato would be the new secretary
of the outfit. The post had been lying vacant since the arrest
of Manoj Mahato on September 4. Sources said his selection was
aimed at strengthening the organization in the Goaltore-Sarenga
area as he belonged to the Goaltore area.
|
| September 21 |
Three squad members of CPI-Maoist
and one PCPA member were arrested by the Police from Kirapura
area near Assansol in Burdwan District. The three squad members
were identified as Sombhu Hembram, Somay Hembram and Topan Soren.
They are active members of a squad led by slain Sidhu Soren, the
founder president of PCPA's militant wing Sidhu Kanu Gana Militia.
They were active in Bankura and Goaltore area of West Midnapore
District. The fourth accused was identified as Khogen Hembram.
He was an active PCPA member, Police said. All the accused are
residents of West Midnapore.
|
| September 23 |
Cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed
Srikanta Mondal, a clerk at a girls' school in Sebayatan village
in West Midnapore District and injured his elderly parents. Police
said Mondal had organised people from Radhanagar and its neighbouring
villages to resist Maoists in the past few months.
After the attack, around 1,500
Radhanagar residents armed with swords raided neighbouring villages.
They set ablaze the houses of 15 supporters of the Maoist-backed
PCPA.
|
| September 24 |
A large group of the CPI-Maoist
cadres blew up a building housing the office of the Krishak Sabha,
a farmers' organisation, in Bandhgora village under Jhargram sub-division
of West Midnapore District.
The same Maoist group then attacked
the neighbouring village of Radhanagar where they set ablaze a
community hall, triggering panic among the villagers.
Two Maoist squad members, identified
as Sukh Chand Soren alias Tepa and Yubaraj Soren alias
Kapil, were arrested from Kantapahari area of Lalgarh and 20 kilograms
of potassium, six firearms and ammunition were recovered from
their hideout in Tantshole village. Sukh Chand was a 'commandant'
of the Maoist squad and he used to recruit fresh cadres while
Yubaraj was an expert in explosives, said Verma.
In another operation, the SFs
recovered 803 gelatin sticks from Tapoban forest in Nayagram area.
|
| September 25 |
A CRPF trooper and a CPI-Maoist
cadre were killed following an encounter between the SFs and the
CPI-Maoist cadres in the Binpur region of West Midnapore District
in West Bengal. Police sources said that on receiving a tip-off
that CPI-Maoist 'commander' Sasadhar Mahato and his wife Suchitra
Mahato, along with 14 other cadres, were camping in the Bandarboni
forest, an operation was launched by the joint forces around September
24-midnight.
|
| September 26 |
Four Maoists were arrested from
from Jhalda in Purulia District. They are identified as Gunda
Singh Murmu, Lakshi Kanta Murmu, Abhiram Das and Choton Khotowal.
'They were active in the Ayodhya Hill area.
Birsha Soren (25), a cadre of
the Sidhu Kanu Gana Militia, the militant wing of the pro-Maoist
People's PCPA was arrested from Goaltore area of West Midnapore
District.
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|
September 27
|
Six CPI-Maoist cadres were arrested
from Bhulabheda village of Belpahari area under Jhargram sub-division
in West Midnapore District. They are identified as Baneshwar Pramanik,
Bhagirath alias Putul, Biren Mordhanno, Patel Murmu, Sashadhar
Karmakar and Amit Mahato. "All were cadres of Madan Mahato's
squad, which was active in Belpahari area. Among the arrested
Baneshwar was a prime catch as he was wanted in at least 10 cases
including sedition, loot and damaging government properties,"
said Jhargram Police District Superintendent Praveen Tripathi.
The Police also recovered one fire arm, two landmines and ammunition
and Maoist posters from them.
The members of the Maoist-backed
PCPA, observing a shutdown in the District put up banner on the
railway tracks at Banstola Station near Jhargram in the afternoon,
following which train services along the Kharagpur-Tatanagar and
Kharagpur-Rourkela routes of South Eastern Railway (SER) were
disrupted. Train services again resumed after five hours. The
PCPA members were observing last day of their 48-hours shut down
demanding withdrawal of joint forces from the Junglemahal (forested
areas of West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia District).
|
|
October 3
|
A group of about 50 cadres of
the CPI-Maoist, armed with sophisticated weapons, raided Chirogora
village in Purulia District and shot dead three activists of the
Forward Bloc party after dragging them out of their houses.
The deceased were identified as Leru Majhi, Dasrath Majhi, and
Choto Majhi. The attackers left some leaflets in the area claiming
that they were killed as they were ‘Police spies’.
|
| October 5 |
The joint Security Forces conducted
a raid in Baro (12) Mile forest in Ranibandh Police Station area
of Bankura District and arrested three cadres of the CPI-Maoist.
Among the three arrested, Basanta Murmu and Sibuprasad Kisku were
squad members and Kamol Murmu was a linkman. All were resident
of Ranibandh area.
The railways extended the restrictions
on movement of passenger trains during the night in Maoist-affected
areas of Orissa and West Bengal to Oct 11 due to security reasons.
"The passenger trains on Kharagpur-Rourkela and Kharagpur-Adra
section will continue to remain suspended during night hours from
10 p.m. to 5 a.m. upto 11th October," the railways said in a statement.
|
| October 6 |
Five suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist-backed
PCPA were arrested in connection with the murder of Baren Singh,
a youth wing leader of the ruling CPI-M, from Belpahari area in
West Midnapore District. The accused were identified as Padmalachan
Hembram and Joy Kisku of Aguibil area and Nependra Mura, Jharlal
Mura and Kalipada Hansda of Barighati area of the District.
Trinamool Congress party chief
Mamata Banerjee threatened to take to the streets from October
7 to press for immediate withdrawal of joint forces from Maoist-hit
areas in West Bengal. However, sources in the Union Home Ministry
said, "Right now we have no plans to withdraw the forces. They
are doing their jobs and the anti-Naxal [Left Wing Extremism]
operations will continue."
|
| October 7 |
Cadres of the CPI-Maoist shot
dead a teacher near Jhargram in West Midnapore District, suspecting
him to be a Police informer. "Gurucharan Mahato was a teacher
at the Bagmari Primary School at Sankrail who resided at Bankshol
village near Jhargram. A group of assailants abducted him from
his house on Wednesday [October 6] night and his bullet-riddled
body was found nearby early on Thursday [October 7]," District
Superintendent of Police Manoj Kumar Verma said.
Suspected Maoists opened fire
on Security Forces in the Lakhanpur forest in the District's Salboni
region. Four landmines, one 8-mm pistol, two AK-47 magazines,
22 rounds of AK-47 rifle cartridges and some explosives were recovered
from the incident site.
|
| October 8 |
Cadres of the CPI-Maoist shot
dead Ranjit Duley, the branch committee secretary of the ruling
CPI-M for Silda area in Jhargram of West Midnapore District near
Orbonda village of the area. Duley was returning home in the evening
when a gang of two-three Maoists riding on a motorbike shot him
from point-blank range.
|
| October 10 |
Kalipada Chakrabarty and his brother
Sukumar Chakrabarty, both supporters of the ruling CPI-M, were
dragged out of their home and shot dead by cadres of the CPI-Maoist
at Tilia village near Balarampur in Purulia District. The attackers
are believed to be members of the Ayodhya Hills squad of Maoists.
Maoist posters, claiming that the brothers were Police informers,
were recovered from the spot.
Maoist posters were also put up
in several parts of Jhargram town in West Midnapore, targeting
the District's two SPs - Manoj Kumar Verma and Praveen Tripathi.
Vikram, spokesperson of the CPI-Maoist's
Bengal-Jharkhand-Orissa Border Regional Committee, threatened
to loot ration shops and Government food godowns in West Midnapore,
Bankura and Purulia if subsidized rice, at the rate of INR 2 a
kilogrammes, is not distributed by October 17.
|
|
October 12
|
The CPI-Maoist in West Bengal
have shifted their operational base to the hilly terrain of Purulia
District that include the Ayodhya and Dalma ranges, to stop the
ruling CPI-M advance in Jangalmahal and for easy access to Bihar.
The Police believe the Maoists had three strong squads in Purulia
Gurbandha, Dalma and Ayodhya. Now, they have increased the number
of squads and platoons there and at least 500 elite PLGA cadres
are camping the area.
|
|
October 13
|
Tapan Dolui, a supporter of the
ruling CPI-M, was shot dead by four cadres of the CPI-Maoist while
he was working in his field in the Belatikri area near Lalgarh
in West Midnapore District.
Two more persons were found dead
with bullet injuries in Jhargram sub-division, though the Police
could not confirm whether they were victims of Maoist violence.
|
|
October 14
|
Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee
described the Maoists as terrorists who had no connecting with
the ideology of Mao Zhedong. Further, he said that there has been
definite progress in the fight against the "politics of terror"
of the Maoists in the State.
|
|
October 15
|
The Police and local administrations
of Birbhum, Nadia and Murshidabad Districts submitted a report
to the State Home Department requesting that some Police Stations
in their Districts should be brought under the ambit of Left Wing
Extremism-affected area considering the increased activities of
the CPI-Maoist there. According to the reports submitted by the
State Police to State home department, eight Police Stations in
Nadia, six Police Stations in Birbhum and three Police Stations
in Murshidabad Districts have seen increased Maoist activities
in recent months. Police sources said Dubrajpur and Khairashol
Police Stations in Birbhum District, which have been mentioned
as Maoist-affected areas, had always been a safe haven for the
Maoists. "Several senior Maoists leaders, including Kalpana
Ruidas, were arrested from the area," said a senior Police
officer. The report further states that the Maoists have formed
a regional committee in Nadia and an area committee in Jalangi.
There are over 30 members in the area committee. "The Maoists
started setting up their base in the area after forming an outfit
called Mazdoor Krishak Sangram Samity, which works like a frontal
organisation of the Maoists much akin to the People’s Committee
against Police Atrocities (PCPA) in West Midnapore," said
a senior Police officer. "As per the information we have
gathered till now, the area committee is led by Prasanta Das alias
Raja, a resident of Kotwali," the officer added. "Das
is the key person in the area who is strengthening the cadre’s
base in Murshidabad and Nadia Districts. They have started spreading
their influence in the colleges of the District," the officer
said.
The semi-decomposed body of an
unidentified person, suspected to have been killed by Maoists,
was recovered from a well in Patharnala, 4 kilometres from Bhimpur
near Pirakata under Salboni Police Station in West Midnapore District.
|
|
October 18
|
Restrictions on the running of
passenger trains at night in the CPI-Maoist-affected areas of
West Bengal would continue till the State Government provided
proper security, Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee said.
"Lives of passengers were more precious than running of trains.
Unless the State Government provides Security, trains will not
run at night in the Maoist-hit areas," she told reporters in Kolkata.
Banerjee said that Security has to be provided by the State Government.
The Railways had decided to halt running of passenger trains at
night in certain sections following the Jnaneswari Express derailment
on May 28, 2010 which was suspected to be an act of sabotage by
the Maoists.
Police arrested Subhas Mudi, a
member of Maoist leader Sashadhar Mahato's squad from Bachhurdoba
in West Midnapore District. Mudi had seven murder cases pending
against his name. "He led the team that killed Shrikanta, a clerical
employee at Jhargram's Sebayatan Balika Vidyalaya. He used to
organize movements and rallies in Jhargram for the PCPA," said
Pravin Tripathy, Jhargram SP.
|
|
October 19
|
Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist
killed two local leaders of the ruling CPI-M at Balarampur in
Purulia District. The victims were identified as Yudhisthir Mondal,
vice-president of the Balarampur panchayat samiti and Sitanath
Singh Sardar, a secretary of the Darda local committee of the
CPI-M in Balarampur.
The DG of the CRPF K Vijay Kumar
ruled out recalling the forces, which had been assisting the State
Police in combating Maoists, from Jangalmahal.
|
|
October 21
|
Fresh operations against the CPI-Maoist
were launched by joint forces in the Ayodhya Hill region of Purulia
District. "Operations have been continuing in the entire
Maoist-affected belt for a long time now. The fresh offensive
is just a part of it," said State Inspector-General (Western
Range) Zulfikar Hasan.
Maoist posters were found from
various areas of Jhargram town in West Midnapore District. The
posters appealed to the lower rank Police personnel and the central
paramilitary troopers not to follow the diktats of the ruling
CPI-Marxist, a Police officer said.
Basanta Maji, a member of Ayodhya
squad of the CPI-Maoist and two linkmen, identified as Kanu Majhi
and Sasthi Charan Mahato were arrested from Ayodhya hills area
of Purulia District.
|
|
October 22
|
A senior leader of the CPI-Maoist,
identified as Phoren Singh Sardar, who has been active in West
Bengal and Jharkhand for more than 15 years was arrested in a
joint operation by the Bankura and Jhargram Police in West Midnapore
District. Sardar was wanted in connection with murder of Bandwan
Police Station officer-in-charge Nilmadhab Das in November 2003.
He was a part of the Maoist group that killed 14 Policemen at
Saranda forest in Jharkhand in December 2003. He was also involved
in the killing and burning alive the then ruling party leader
of the CPI-M, Rabindranath Kar and his wife Anandomoyee Kar in
January 2006. Hailing from Kesmar village in Belpahari Police
Station of West Midnapore District, Sardar has nine murder cases
pending against him in the District alone. Sardar had joined the
PLGA around 12 years ago. Later, he switched over to the CPI-Maoist
as a senior member of the squad headed by Madan Mahato that operates
in the West Bengal-Jharkhand border areas. He was subsequently
put in charge of the Belpahari and Barikul areas. A single-shotter
gun, 3 cartridges, a 50-foot-long wire, detonators and Maoist
posters were recovered from him.
Two linkmen of the CPI-Maoist,
identified as Gurupada Pathoria and Samar Majhi were arrested
from Ayodhya hills area of Purulia District.
|
|
October 23
|
Cadres of the
CPI-Maoist shot dead two members of the PCPA backed by it in West
Midnapore District. The bodies of PCPA members Biswanath Mahato
and Pradip Mahato were found beside a pond at Nandalalpur in Jhargram,
Additional SP (Operation) Mukesh Kumar said. Top District Police
sources said the two were killed over differences with Maoists
on division of money extorted from local businessmen.
The Maoists
abducted an intelligence branch inspector, Partha Biswas, and
an NGO worker, Samarjit Basu, from a place four kilometres west
of Barabhum in Ayodhya area of Purulia District. He was on leave
and had gone there for work in connection with an NGO he ran there.
Maoist sources said that the two were in their custody, but did
not state any condition for their release.
|
|
October 24
|
A Class 10 student, identified
as Kartik Mahato, was shot at and injured by suspected cadres
of the CPI-Maoist at Chandra village in West Midnapore District.
|
|
November 1
|
The Centre is yet to take a decision
on Trinamool Congress’ demand for withdrawal of the central paramilitary
forces, engaged in anti-CPI-Maoist operations in West Bengal.
"Yes, there is a demand or request from the Trinamool Congress
that the Central government should withdraw the paramilitary forces
from West Bengal. But no decision has been taken," Union
Home Minister P. Chidambaram told reporters when asked about the
Trinamool Congress’ demand.
|
|
November 2
|
Police arrested Maoist linkman
'Shyamal Mudi alias Uday from Nayagram area in Jhargram
sub-division in connection with the triggering of landmine in
a community hall.
The State Government said that
it was open to dialogue with the CPI-Maoist. "The Government is
open to dialogue with the Maoists and wants to open a channel
of communication," Additional DGP (law and order) S Karpurakayastha
said ten days after the abduction of Police officer Partha Biswas
and his friend Soumyajit Basu. Asked why the administration wanted
to open talks with the Maoists after more than a week, the ADG
said, "We feel this is a right time. The Government is open to
dialogue [with the Maoists]."
|
|
November 3
|
A group of suspected cadres of
the CPI-Maoist shot dead a supporter of the ruling CPI-M, identified
as Bimal Das of Lalitashole village in Jhargram sub-division of
West Midnapore District while he was standing in front of a bank.
According to eyewitnesses, a group of armed Maoists riding on
motorbikes fired at Bimal twice and fled towards Indraboti forest.
Bimal, a money lender, was threatened earlier by the Maoists and
he stayed away from home for several months. Only recently he
returned home and resumed his business, a villager said.
|
|
November 4
|
A villager
was killed and 17 policemen were critically injured after a clash
broke out between PCPA supporters at Chunapara village in West
Midnapore District. The incident happened when a Police team that
raided a Maoist meeting at Chunapara area of Sankrail in Jhargram
sub-division was attacked by the PCPA supporters with bricks and
batons. "Keeping women and children in the forefront as shield,
the Maoists attacked the security personnel, resulting in injuries
to 13 policemen, including Uttam Kumar Debnath, the officer-in-charge
of the Sankrail police station," said Additional Superintendent
of Police (Operation) Mukesh Kumar. The Maoists also looted a
few firearms, including the AK-47 of Debnath and ammunitions.
Police arrested
four Maoist linkmen - Ranjan Ali, Sisir Pal, Sattya Ranjan and
Samir Singh – during a joint operation in connection with cases
of murder and damaging Government property.
The CPI-Maoist
denied responsibility in the abduction of Partha Biswas, an officer
of the Intelligence Branch and Soumyajit Basu, an NGO worker.
|
|
November 7
|
Suspected cadres
of the CPI-Maoist killed two villagers, identified as Sukhchand
Mandi (55) and his son Nepal Mandi (32), in Bandhgora village
of Jhargram sub-division in West Midnapore District. Sources said
that Sukhchand was a local leader of the ruling CPI-M and was
working as a forest department worker in Jhargram Mini Zoo. He
was threatened several times by Maoists for working with CPI-M
and as a Police informer.
Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist
attacked Ganakkata village in Jhargram sub-division and killed
three persons, identified as Sandhyarani Mahato, Rashbihari Mahato,
Owahed Ali, in West Midnapore District.
|
| November 8 |
Five motorbike-borne Maoists shot
dead Kanai Rai, a former member of Patashimul panchayat
belonging to the ruling CPI-M at his residence, Jhargram Police
District Superintendent Praveen Tripathi said. "The Maoists dragged
Rai out and shot him at point-blank range. His wife Basanti Rai
tried to prevent the attack, and sustained a bullet injury on
her left hand," Tripathi added.
The Security Forces busted a Maoist
camp in Bankura District.
|
| November 9 |
A suspected CPI-Maoist action
squad member, identified as Kanchan Debsingha, a resident of Madhupur
in Salboni block was arrested from the car of a Trinamool Congress
leader, Nepal Singha, soon after a Trinamool Congress rally demanding
the Joint Forces' withdrawal at Garbeta in West Midnapore District.
District Superintendent of Police Manoj Verma said there were
at least 15 cases against Kanchan, including half-a-dozen related
to murder. Kanchan's younger brother Hemanta was killed in an
encounter with the Joint Forces almost a year ago.
|
| November 11 |
Four villagers, identified as
Biru Sardar, Banamali Sardar, Kalicharan Muro and Ratan Muro of
Arsa's Bhuda village in Purulia District were suspected to have
been abducted by a group of CPI-Maoist cadres. Seven villagers
had gone out grazing goats near a neighbouring Dhanchatani village.
Around 2.30pm (IST), a group of 25-30 Maoists carrying arms and
bags abducted them. However, three of them returned to the village
late in the evening but four others were still untraced.
A CPI-Maoist cadre, identified
as Amol Mahato, was arrested from Mohanpur area of Jhargram sub-division
of West Midnapore District, for extorting money from local school
teachers and businessmen. A firearm and INR 43,000 were recovered
from him.
|
| November 12 |
Two cadres of the CPI-Maoist were
shot dead by the Security Forces at Bamni village in Ayodhya Hills
in Purulia District. Inspector General of Police (Western Range)
Zulfikar Hassan said: 'We have recovered two bodies of the Maoists
cadres from the camp. A huge cache of arms and ammunition including
improvised guns, detonators and gelatine sticks were recovered
from the encounter site.'
A leader of the Maoist-backed
PCPA, identified as Anadi Bhuniya was arrested and 54 others were
detained in West Midnapore District and a huge quantity of gelatine
sticks and explosives were recovered from them. Anadi was wanted
in six cases, including murder, loot and damaging Government property.
Replying to a question while giving
an interview to a private Bengali news channel, West Bengal Chief
Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said that he is not ruling out
the possibility of the alleged nexus between the Maoists and Kashmiri
separatists but added that the Government needs more information
on this matter.
|
| November 14 |
The cadres of the CPI-Maoist exploded
three landmines and opened fire at joint forces in Bibihari-Madhupur
and Keodesole forest areas of West Midnapore District during a
raid. Jhargram Additional Superintendent of Police Mukesh Kumar
said the raids were launched by eight companies of CRPF, SAF and
State Armed Police following a tip off that two squads of Maoists
had gathered in the forests with explosives to perpetrate acts
of sabotage. The joint forces retaliated and forced the Maoists
to retreat, he said adding none was injured in the exchange.
During searches the joint forces
seized about 120 kilograms of explosives stacked in two plastic
drums and stored under the ground near a water body in the Madhupur
forest near Jamboni, which provides easy access to Jharkhand.
The explosives included detonators and three landmines, a large
number of cartridges besides a single barrel gun, he said.
|
| November 15 |
Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist
poured hooch on the head of a wine-seller and then slammed him
with sticks at Lalgarh village in West Midnapore District. Residents
alleged that the victim abused villagers after drinking liquor
and sold it in the locality.
The Maoist-backed PCPA called
a 48-hour bandh in West Midnapore District from November
16, in protest against the killing of two of its supporters, identified
as Sushen Mahato and Nibaran Singh near Lalgarh late on November
14.
|
| November 16 |
Rumpa Mahato alias Sujata
alias Ashtami (21), a self-styled CPI-Maoist 'deputy area
commander' in the Nayagram area of West Midnapore District, surrendered
before the Police at the Bankura District Police lines. "She was
fairly high up in the local guerrilla squad and active in the
Lalgarh area. She had links with Maoist leaders like Kishanji
and Bikash," Superintendent of Police Pranav Kumar said. She laid
down a 9 mm pistol, 11 cartridges and plenty of Maoist literature
during her surrender. According to the Police, Rumpa had confessed
that she was "fed up with the meaningless violence being committed
by the Maoists and had been a victim of torture, both physical
and mental".
Life in the tribal Jangalmahal
Districts was paralysed on the first day of a 48-hour bandh
called by Maoist front organisation PCPA. No untoward incident
was reported from anywhere in West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia
Districts, that comprise Jangalmahal.
|
| November 17 |
A CPI-Maoist leader, identified
as Idrish Sheikh, was arrested during a raid in Dudhsagar village
in Murshidabad District. Acting on a tip-off, the Police conducted
a raid in the village and arrested Idrish. He was wanted in several
cases, including murder, and is responsible for strengthening
the Maoist base in the District.
|
| November 18 |
The CPI-Maoist called for a 48-hour
bandh (general shutdown) in Purulia District from November
21. In a letter to the media, Maoist spokesman Sumon said: "Two
of our comrades, Biplab Bandopadhyay and Dhiren Murmu were killed
by the joint forces during their operation in Ayodhya Hills in
the District on November 12. Biplab was one of our most trusted
leaders and spent his whole life for the development of the tribals,
and Dhiren was one of our supporters."
|
| November 19 |
20 cadres of the CPI-Maoist set
ablaze Dhanghori gram panchayat office at Sankrail in West
Midnapore District. The Maoists hurled bombs and subsequently
broke into the building and ransacked the office - damaged furniture
and computers, burnt files. They also raised slogans and left
posters claiming responsibility for the incident. The posters
recovered from the incident side said the attack was in retaliation
for the 'atrocities' by the ruling CPI-M cadres on villagers at
Chunapara area on November 4.
Suspected Maoists blew up a CPI-M
office at Bhimpur with a landmine.
The State Government has recently
set up a Counter Insurgency Force (CIF) to combat Maoists, but
the force is yet to start functioning because it lacks enough
intelligence-gathering manpower. The CIF is being groomed on the
lines of the Greyhound force of Hyderabad to counter Maoists.
The force is now operating from Bhavani Bhavan, but will soon
have its head office at Garia. The CIF Inspector General (IG),
Vivek Sahay, had written to Home Secretary of the State, G D Gautama,
about the problem he was facing in starting the special intelligence
group and it was discussed at the meeting.
Maoists abducted Debendranath
Singh, a primary school teacher of Kajla primary School in Jhargram
sub-division in West Midnapore District.
The Maoists abducted a woman employee
of the ICDS, identified as Sampriti Mahato in West Midnapore District.
Mahato is a resident of Jamda village near Lalgarh, a Police officer
said.
Security personnel detected four
landmines from Indraboni forest area near Jhargram during routine
patrolling. The landmines were later safely defused, SP Praveen
Tripathi said.
|
| November 20 |
Maoists abducted Ganesh Ahir,
a resident of Rashidpur village under Lalgarh Police Station from
his home and later shot him and beheaded him. His beheaded was
found by villagers near Binpur on State Highway 9 in the morning.
Ahir was working with local CPI-M camps which had been set up
to fight the Maoists.
Maoist leader Kinkar Pal was arrested
from Huangana forest near Hijli village in Barikul region of Bankura
District by Security Forces. A single-barrel gun and 10 rounds
of ammunition were recovered from him. Pal was a member of Madan
Mahato's squad and also the president of Maoist-backed PCPA in
the District.
A suspected Maoist linkman, identified
as Sudhir Hemram was arrested from Purulia town in Purulia District.
'Sudhir Hemram was involved in a murder case. He will be produced
before the court,' SP Sunil Chowdhury said.
|
| November 21 |
Two supporters of the ruling CPI-M,
identified as Rahim Patar (42) and Pashupati Singh (35) were killed
by suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist, at Ovkharikasuli village
under Salboni Police Station in West Midnapore District. Rahim
Patar was a CPI-M zonal committee member while Pashupati Singh
was pradhan of Garmal gram panchayat. Both were returning
from a political rally in Kalsibhanga area and were going to their
Bhadutala party office at Salboni block when the Maoists surrounded
and abducted them and later their bullet-ridden bodies were found
at a distance from the spot a few hours later.
Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist
shot dead two supporters of the ruling CPI-M, identified as Sushil
Mahato and Paresh Rana, in Murakati village in Jhargram sub-division
of West Midnapore District. Their dead bodies were found in Dhangori
village next morning.
Two Maoists cadres, identified
as Somnath Mandi and Thakurdas Karmakar, were arrested from Dhanchatani
village in Purulia District. Somnath and Thakurdas were involved
in several cases, including murder, extortion and damaging Government
properties, Superintendent of Police Sunil Chowdhury said.
|
|
November 22
|
A 13-year-old girl, identified
as Sukurmoni Soren alias Lakshmi was detained by the Police
after it raided a CPI-Maoist hideout at Baghdubi village in the
Barikul Police station area in Bankura District. Lakshmi was lured
away from her village by a man, identified as Chhotu to join Ranibandh
squad of the Maoists earlier in 2010.
|
|
November 25
|
A CPI-Maoist leader, identified
as Babulal Tudu of Koima village, was arrested from his hideout
in Baro Garia forest of Simlipal Police Station in Bankura District.
"Acting on a specific input, we conducted raids and arrested Tudu,
who was the key accused in the February 25 murder of Rabi Lochan
Mitra, officer-in-charge of Sarenga Police Station. Tudu was also
wanted in eight other cases, including murder and arson," Superintendent
of Police Pranav Kumar said. Firearms and ammunition were recovered
from him, Kumar added. Tudu was a very close associate of Sidhu
Soren, the slain founder president of the pro-Maoist Sidhu Kanu
Gana Militia.
The West Bengal Government was
hopeful of covering the State's Maoists-affected Jangalmahal area
in the second phase of the census.
|
| November 30 |
Maoists set ablaze the house of
one Harish Mahato, a local leader of ruling CPI-M in Jhargram
in the same District. However, no one was injured in the incident
as everyone was asked to leave before Maoists set ablaze the house.
|
| December 1 |
Four suspected cadres of CPI-Maoist
shot dead a ruling CPI-M supporter, identified as Bikas Mondal
(22) at Kumardi village in Purulia District.
The dead body of Arun Mahato,
a local leader of ruling CPI-M, was found in a well in the Jamidardanga
forest area in West Midnapore District. According to local media
reports, Mahato went missing since November 25, and was killed
by Maoists cadres as he campaigned against their violent actions
in the region.
|
| December 3 |
The STF of Kolkata Police arrested
the State Secretary of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Kanchan alias
Sudip Chongdar alias Batash alias Gautam (48) along
with two other State Committee members in Kolkata. According to
Police officials, STF personnel were tracking the movement of
Kanchan and his associates over the past few months. Kanchan,
a science graduate, hailed from Garbeta of West Midnapore and
his wife Rita alias Rina Sarkar is also a Maoist squad member.
Important documents pertaining to communication with each other
were seized from their possession. Kanchan is wanted in several
cases of sedition, among which some are related specifically with
Lalgarh. Kanchan is among the Maoist think tank that functioned
as the architect of Lalgarh movement in November 2008.
A Maoist supporter, identified
as Bimal Ghosh alias Shankar was arrested from Maidan area
in Kolkata. According to sources, the Maoists leaders were scheduled
to hold a meeting in the outskirts of the city for discussing
the Rajarhat land issue and the strategy to gain momentum out
of it.
Another Maoist cadre Kajol Mahato
was arrested from Pathar Kumkumi village in Salboni area of the
District. He was involved in the gun battle between the Joint
Forces and the Maoists in Pidrakhuli area on November 2.
|
| December 4 |
Police arrested a top cadre of
the CPI-Maoist, Anu alias Kalpana Maity, State Committee
member and wife of Ashim Mondal alias Akash, also said
to be one of the closest aides of Koteshwar Rao alias Kishan
from Howrah railway station in Kolkata. Police have seized several
documents, electronic gadgets, improvised rocket launchers and
sophisticated foreign made communication devices including wireless
sets, voice control operating systems and antennas from her possession.
Asit Shit, commandant of the Maoists
Jamboni squad, was arrested from a bus stand in Jhargram sub-division
in West Midnapore. SP Praveen Tripathi said, 'He was involved
in several murder cases, including killing of Jharkhand Mukti
Morcha (JMM) leader Soumen Bhagat in May and abduction of three
agents of an insurance company from Chichigra in Jhargram.'
During interrogation, Sudip Chongdar
alias Kanchan, the State Committee secretary of the Maoists
and other State committee members arrested on December 3, revealed
that Koteshwar Rao alias Kishan, the chief of party's military
wing - Peoples Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) is alive and fit,
said Police's Special Task Force (STF) chief Rajeev Kumar.
|
| December 5 |
The Maoists have called a 48-hour
bandh in West Bengal, starting from December 8 to protest
against the arrest of four State Committee members, including
State Secretary Kanchan. CPI-Maoist State Committee member Ashim
Mondal alias Akash said: 'State secretary Kanchan da
(elder brother) and other State Committee members - Ajoy da,
Bidyut da and my wife, Anu, and party supporter Shankar
have been arrested by city Police.' 'We will observe a shutdown
on Dec 8-9 to protest against the arrests,' he said. 'By arresting
the political leaders the State Government is closing the doors
for talks with the Maoists,' he said.
A supporter of the CPI-Maoist-backed
PCPA was killed by suspected Maoist cadres in West Midnapore District.
The victim identified as Ajit Bera, a resident of Bachurkhayar
village near Nayagram, was dragged out of his home by armed cadres.
They searched his mobile phone to check if any numbers of Police
officers were stored in it.
|
|
December 6
|
A high-level meeting was convened
by Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, to review the ongoing
joint operations by Security Forces in the State's Maoist-affected
areas. Besides the Maoist-affected Bankura, Purulia and West Midnapore
Districts, the West Bengal Government wants that three other Districts
– Birbhum, Murshidabad and Nadia – should also be declared affected
by LWE. The State Government has sent a proposal to the Union
Government to declare the three Districts Maoist-affected and
the matter is under consideration by the Centre, said Surajit
Kar Purakayastha, Additional Director General of Police (Law &
Order). While Birbhum is north of Bankura and borders Jharkhand,
Murshidabad and Nadia share the border with Bangladesh.
|
|
December 7
|
A huge cache of ammunition and
communication devices were recovered from the CPI-Maoist hideouts
during raids conducted by STF at the Districts of Hooghly, South
24 Parganas and North 24 Parganas. More than 200 man pack and
static wireless system, nearly 50 static sets, antennas, 50 remote-operated
timers and VHF (very high frequency) static sets and High Frequency
sets, 150 bullets mainly of AK-47, explosives and different kinds
of circuits have been recovered.
|
|
December 8
|
The West Midnapore District Police
arrested five Maoists, identified as Dilip Mahato, Lakshmikanta
Hemram, Babulal Tudu alias Babulal Kisku alias Jhapu,
Baidyanath Murmu and Raju Hembram alias Rajib from Lakhanpur
forest in Salboni. Two rifles, two double barrel guns and some
other weapons were recovered from them, Police said. Dilip Mahato
is one of the prime suspects in the case of the abduction of the
Officer-in-charge of Sankrail Police Station, Atindranath Dutta,
and two Police constables Kanchan Garai and Sabbir Mollah in 2009.
A Maoist, identified as Uttam
Mandi, was arrested from Kako village near the Dharampur forest
areas in Binpur in West Midnapore District. Uttam was wanted in
several cases of murder of local leaders of CPI-M, Jhargram SP
Praveen Tripathi said.
In a raid, a Maoist, Ashok Singh,
was arrested from his hideout in Goghat area of Hooghly District.
Singh's arrest has proved a number of intelligence agencies inputs
that Maoists have also managed to sneak into some pockets of the
District which are adjacent to Bankura District where Maoists
have established their stronghold.
|
|
December 9
|
The CPI-Maoist cadres killed a
local leader of the ruling CPI-M, identified as Shasthi Bawri,
inside the party office at Khairasol in Birbhum District. Sasti
was shot at by armed Maoists who fled on motorbikes, Superintendent
of Police (SP) Humayun Kabir said.
|
|
December 10
|
At least 150 prisoners who were
arrested for being cadres of the CPI-Maoist and lodged in correctional
homes in West Midnapore District, launched an indefinite hunger
strike demanding their immediate release and pressing for a 32-point
charter of demands. 'The prisoners, including Chhatradhar Mahato,
convenor of the Maoist-backed Peoples' Committee against Police
Atrocities (PCPA), Manoj Mahato and other social activists and
sympathisers, have started the hunger strike.
Some suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist
killed two supporters of the ruling CPI-M, identified as Mahesh
Soren (70) and his brother Narayan (62) in the Jangalmahal region
near Lalgarh in West Midnapore District. The bodies were found
on the outskirts of their village, Superintendent of Police (SP)
Manoj Verma, said.
A plot to blow up the railway
station in Purulia District by suspected Maoists was foiled with
the seizure of high-intensity explosives, with train services
being suspended immediately. "The sack, which had wires protruding
from it, was packed with 20 gelatine sticks, 18 power gels and
a huge quantity of bomb splinters and was detected by RPF personnel
on patrol," Police said. A Maoist poster was found in the bag
which read "Withdraw joint forces from Junglemahal" and "Stop
atrocities on innocent villagers", the Police added.
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|
December 11
|
Four Maoists were arrested by
the Paramilitary CRPF and West Bengal Police from Maoist infested
Jhargram area in West Midnapore District. They are yet to be identified.
A huge cache of arms and explosives including two SVBL guns, one
Bulgarian 8 mm pistol, a country made pistol and a large number
of explosives were seized during the operation, said Sub Divisional
Police Officer (SDPO) Rashid Malik Khan.
In an operation conducted in Ramchandrapur
town by Central Paramilitary troops and State Police personnel
two suspected Maoists were arrested with a large cache of arms
and ammunition in Jhargram area. Police are yet to identify them.
"Two people have been arrested. We have also recovered fire
arms and several rounds of bullets." Several others were detained
and are being questioned, SP Pravin Tripathi said.
|
| December 12 |
The Police arrested a suspected
CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Kalpana Doloi from Satui village
in Behrampore in Murshidabad District. Some Maoist posters were
also recovered from her, Police said. Kalpana's husband Sambhu
Doloi had been arrested on August 31, 2009 from Fatehpur near
NH-34 after an IED blast in the area that left one dead.
|
| December 15 |
CPI-Maoist posters were found
in Writers Building, the State Secretariat, calling for the withdrawal
of joint forces from Junglemahal. The posters advertised a cultural
programme, which is going to be held in the city on December 18,
to be chaired by author-activist Mahasweta Devi. Police said that
the Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR) had
printed the posters.
|
| December 16 |
The Police moved an application
in a court in Kolkata, for enforcing the Unlawful Activities (Prevention)
Act, 1967, against Sudip Chongdar alias Kanchan, State
Secretary of the CPI-Maoist and his four associates who were arrested
in the city on December 3, and were produced in the court on December
14 and remanded to Police custody until December 18.
|
| December 17 |
The cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed
seven AIFB party workers, identified as Chapala Garai, Tapan Singh
Sardar, Kinkar Singh, Rajesh Singh, Gopeswar Mahato, Gobardhan
Singh and Arjun Singh Mura at Baghbinda village of Jhalda in Purulia
District. A group of 10 to 12 Maoists first raided the house of
Chandicharan Singh Sardar, president of the Gitalaya village panchayat
samiti. Upon not finding him there, the Maoists abducted his
brother and local Forward Bloc leader Tapan Singh Sardar and killed
him near the house. Chapala Garai was the sarpanch of Darda
gram panchayat. Kinkar Singh was the Bloc secretary of
the AIFB while Gobardhan Singh was a Bloc member for 15 years.
The victims were picked up from their homes at about 2 AM [IST]
and shot at from close range in a field in the hilly village bordering
Jharkhand, Superintendent of Police Sunil Kumar Chaudhuri said.
Maoists left posters at the spot claiming that the seven villagers
had been spying for the Security personnel. "Protest against those
with 'Operation Green Hunt' and Left Front and Congress leaders,"
one of the posters said. In another poster it was written: "Police
torture of the public has to stop otherwise, extreme punishment
will be given to Left Front leaders."
Two Maoists identified as Sambari
Hansda alias Sambari Tudu alias Seema alias
Sama and Hapna Murmu were arrested from Lakhanpur forest in West
Midnapore District. Some detonators, land mines and Maoist literature
were also recovered from them. Tudu was wanted in several cases
including the attack on an Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) camp
at Silda on February 15, in which 24 EFR troopers were killed.
According to the Police, Tudu had entered the camp along with
two other dancers the day the killings took place. "She made a
reconnaissance of the camp and the preparedness of the Security
personnel while dancing and collecting money," SP Manoj Verma
said. Murmu was accused in several cases in Dharampur area,' the
SP added.
A joint operation of the CRPF
and the State Police seized a huge cache of arms and ammunition
after an anti- CPI-Maoist operation in Birihari village in Jhargram
sub-division of West Midnapore District. "We recovered four small
arms, 70 rounds different type of ammunition, detonators, flashguns,
used articles of the Maoists. The Maoists left the things and
escaped. Maoists gathered to provide training and had changed
their training camp time to time for their privacy," SP of Jhargram
Police District Praveen Tripathi said.
|
| December 18 |
A Maoist leader and a woman cadre
were arrested by the State Police officials from Laxmanpur area
under Salboni Police Station in West Midnapore. One directional
mine loaded with explosive substance, Maoist leaflet and two books
of Bengali print has been recovered from their possessions.
The Maoist-backed PCPA called
for a 24-hour bandh (general shutdown) on December 20 in
three Maoists-dominated Districts of Purulia, Bankura and West
Midnapore. "The shutdown has been called in the three Districts
as the common tribal people living in the areas were facing torture
and harassment from the joint forces and armed cadres of the CPI-M,"
a PCPA spokesman told IANS on phone from Lalgarh area of
West Midnapore. "We demand that the Government and Administration
should stop atrocities on our people and urge people to support
the shutdown," the spokesperson added.
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|
December 19
|
Suspected cadres
of the CPI-Maoist shot dead a primary school teacher, identified
as Kalicharan Mahato, also a local ruling CPI-M leader in Chhotokhakri
village near Nayagram in West Midnapore District. According to
Jhargram SP Pravin Tripathi, a group of 20 armed Maoists raided
the house of Kalicharan, pulled him out from his house and killed
him and left posters branding him a Police informer.
Maoists killed
a railway worker, identified as Srikant Saren and set ablaze a
bulldozer near Nunnungeria village in Jhargram area of the District.
Srikant had brought a bulldozer in the village to dig a pond.
The Maoists wanted unemployed villagers be given the task under
the NREGA, instead of using machines for the purpose.
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|
December 22
|
Suspected cadres
of the CPI-Maoist triggered an IED explosion on a metalled road
in the Belpahari area of West Midnapore District. Luckily no one
was killed or injured in the incident as the explosion took place
within minutes of a civilian vehicle passing through the spot,
though there was panic spread amongst local people about the possibility
of the Maoists targeting common people.
Another landmine
weighing five kilograms laid by the Maoists was defused by Security
Forces in Salboni block of the District.
The PCPA leader
Chhatradhar Mahato and 124 suspected Maoists of Midnapore jail
ended their 13-day hunger strike after a delegation of the APDR
met them.
|
|
December 23
|
Replying to Congress
Legislature party leader Manas Bhunia in the State Assembly, Chief
Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee refuted Mamata Banerjee's charge
that paramilitary forces are being used to meet the partisan ends
of the ruling CPI-M. The presence of paramilitary troopers has
improved the situation in Maoist-hit areas, the CM said.
|
|
December 24
|
Suspected cadres
of the CPI-Maoist killed two ruling CPI-M workers, identified
as Manorajan Mahto (45) and Rathindranath Gope (34) at Birmadal
and Odolchua villages respectively in the Jhargram sub-division
of West Midnapore District. Gope was a hostel Superintendent of
a tribal High school in Odolchua village.
Raghunath Murmu
(30), a Jharkhand Party worker was killed by the Maoists at Chirogora
village, Police said. He was once the upa-pradhan of Shimulpal
gram panchayat.
Hikim Murmu
(50), a Trinamool Congress activist, was hacked to death at Kalaberia
village under Beliabera Police Station. However, claiming that
Hikim was killed by the (CPI-M) goons, a mob, believed to be supporters
of PCPA, obstructed the Police to collect the body demanding the
immediate arrest of the killers, Police said. Local (CPI-M) leaders,
however, said the party was not responsible for the killing.
Two suspected Maoists, identified
as Sushil Sardar (23) and Buddheswar Mahato (24) were arrested
during a raid by joint forces from Phuljhora jungle at Barikul
in Bankura District. SP Pranab Kumar said Sardar is a resident
of Belpahari in the nearby District of West Midnapore and Mahato
is a local resident. They were arrested for their involvement
in Maoist activities, Kumar added.
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|
December 25
|
One trooper of the elite CoBRA
unit of the CRPF, identified as Bishram Kumar was killed and eight
of his colleagues were injured when suspected CPI-Maoist cadres
triggered an IED blast on the outskirts of Jambani village near
Dekai Pahar area in the Jhalda region of Purulia District. "The
SFs were out on a combing operation in the early hours after receiving
a tip-off that a group of Maoists had gathered to hold a meeting
in the Jambani area. The rebels appeared to have got a whiff of
the forces trying to surround them and triggered an IED explosion,"
IG (Western Range), Zulfiqar Hasan said.
A group of around 30 suspected
cadres of CPI-Maoist and the Maoist-backed PCPA set ablaze three
houses of ruling CPI-M supporters at Nayagram area in West Midnapore
District. According to the Police, the group of Maoists ransacked
the house of Ranjit Adhikary at Nosai village and later set it
ablaze. "The same group then went to neighbouring Bachurkhayar
village and set ablaze the houses of Naren Mahato and Anam Bera.
By the time fire service personnel reached the spot, the houses
were burnt to ashes," SP Pravin Tripathi, of Jhargram Police District,
said. No one was injured in the incident, since all three families
had fled the area five months back due to the threat posed by
the Maoists.
|
| December 26 |
Suspected Maoists stopped a bus and tried to set
it ablaze after asking the passengers to get down on State Highway
9 inside Malabati forest in Binpur sub-division. The Maoists,
however, managed to escape by using the passengers as cover when
SFs suddenly arrived at the spot. No one was injured in the incident.
|
| December 27 |
CPI-M has rejected Union Home Minister P Chidambaram's
demand, through a letter to West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb
Bhattacharjee, to disarm the party cadres. Instead, CPI-M leader
and Lok Sabha MP Basudeb Acharya accused Chidambaram of acting
at the behest of Trinamool Congress Chief Mamata Banerjee, who
has been crying hoarse about the worsening law and order situation
in the State. "The letter that Chidambaram has sent to Chief Minister
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee is based on a Trinamool Congress report
and not on feedback by official agencies," the CPI-M leader said.
Acharya made it clear that there would be no move to disarm the
party cadres. "People have the right to defend themselves," he
added. He argued that since party workers in the Jangalmahal area
are mostly tribals, they have violated no law in carrying their
traditional weapons.
|
Note:Compiled from news reports and
are provisional.
|
