The Hindu : National : Naxalites kill Marxist leader

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Wednesday, Apr 21, 2010
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Naxalites kill Marxist leader

Raktima Bose

Top Maoist leader reportedly detained, being interrogated

Police keeping detention under wraps
Innocent villagers illegally detained in name of combing operations: PSBJC

KOLKATA: Suspected Maoists killed one more Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader in the Lalgarh region of West Bengal's Paschim Medinipur district late on Monday.

Unidentified assailants raided Sailen Mahato's house at Purnapani village and abducted him. His bullet-riddled body was found on Tuesday morning.

Posters found

Superintendent of Police Manoj Kumar Verma said the hand of left-wing extremists was suspected since some Maoist posters were found on the spot claiming Mr. Mahato was a police informer.

According to police sources, an important Maoist leader who was active along the West Bengal-Jharkhand-Orissa border was detained a few days back. The detained person's name is reported to be Chandrashekhar and he is currently being interrogated.

The police are keeping the detention under wraps.

Bandh called

Meanwhile, the Maoist-backed Police Santrash Birodhi Janasadharaner Committee (PSBJC) called yet another bandh in the three left-wing extremism-affected districts of south Bengal on Wednesday in protest against the alleged indiscriminate detention of villagers by the police.

The outfit's spokesperson, Asit Mahato, told The Hindu on Tuesday: “The police illegally detain several innocent people from the villages in the name of combing operations but never produce them in court. We demand the immediate production of the persons in courts failing which we will launch an indefinite blockade in the region.”

Hollow promise

Criticising Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram's offer of dialogue with the PSBJC during his visit to Lalgarh on April 4, Mr. Mahato said that it was a hollow promise made by the Minister since police atrocities had only increased after his visit.

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